Lock and Key (Nocturne Academy 1)

From their reaction, you would have thought I’d said I saw the Devil himself sneaking out of the castle.

Emma and Kaitlyn’s eyes went big and frightened and Avery jumped back suddenly as though someone had pinched him and cursed in a low voice.

“What?” I asked uncertainly.

“Griffin,” Avery said at last and I was relieved that the key at my throat didn’t tighten when someone else said his name. “You’re talking about Griffin Darkheart.”

“Is that his name?” I asked, pretending ignorance as well as I could. “Well anyway, I saw him sneaking out tonight and I just wondered—”

“No,” Avery cut me off firmly. “No, Megan—you don’t ‘wonder’ about Griffin Darkheart. You don’t look at him, you don’t sit near him, and you sure as hell don’t talk to him. Just leave him strictly alone.”

“What? But…why?” I was surprised and a little upset by their extreme reactions.

“He’s being Censured,” Emma said earnestly.

“That’s what the black line on his tag means,” Kaitlyn added.

“Censured?” I shook my head. “What does that even mean?”

“It means he’s bad news, Princess,” Avery said, frowning. “It means he’s being punished and not just by the Academy or the Headmistress—by the Council of Other Elders.”

“But punished for what?” I protested. “What could he have done that’s so bad? And what exactly is his punishment?”

Avery shrugged. “All I know is that he’s been here since I was eleven and first came to Nocturne—I was extremely precocious, as I said,” he added, preening a little. “Anyway he’s been here this whole time and he’s never allowed to take anything but Norm classes. I never see him in the North Tower—he never even sits with the other Nocturnes at lunch or dinner.”

I thought of Griffin grinning mockingly at me from the empty table at the far end of the Nocturne row at lunch time. He had been sitting all by himself and none of the other Nocturnes had been talking to him or even looking at him. It was almost like they were ignoring him on purpose.

“So…he’s being shunned by his own kind?” I asked. “Is that part of his punishment?”

“I don’t know,” Avery said firmly. “All I know is that he’s bad news.”

“But how can you say that when you don’t even know what crime he committed?” I protested.

“Look, in order to be Censured by the Council he must have done something really bad,” Emma said firmly.

“Like stealing the life or powers of another Other,” Avery said. “As in murder Princess Latimer—do you see why you need to steer clear of him, now?”

“What? I don’t believe it,” I said, frowning. “I haven’t been here long but I really doubt Headmistress Nightworthy would allow a convicted murderer to roam around the halls of her school.”

“She doesn’t have jurisdiction over the Council,” Kaitlyn said. “And they’re the ones who are Censuring him.”

“But that still doesn’t answer the question of why he was sneaking out tonight,” I pointed out.

“It doesn’t matter,” Avery said flatly. “Gossip like that, I can do without. Just stay as far from Griffin Darkheart as you can and you’ll be fine. I’m serious, Megan,” he said, using my name for once when I tried to protest again. “Leave that Nocturne alone. He’s what my granny calls ‘seven miles of bad road.’ So just let him be.”

“Okay,” I said, defeated at last. “Sorry—I didn’t know.”

“Well how could you? You just got here today,” Kaitlyn said gently. “Nocturne Academy can be kind of confusing at first.”

“But you’ll learn the ins and outs,” Emma said, smiling. “We’ll all help you.”

“Thanks.” I gave them all a grateful smile. “You guys…this…the four of us…” I stopped not sure how to go on.

“It’s great,” Kaitlyn said.

“It’s perfect,” Avery said. “We were waiting for you, Meagan—and we’re all really glad you’re finally here.”

“Thanks,” I said and to my surprise, I felt tears stinging my eyes. I hadn’t felt this level of friendship and acceptance, well…ever. For my whole life, I’d been a misfit—a round peg in a square hole. But somehow here, in Nocturne Academy in the safety of the Norm Dorm, I finally felt like I belonged. Like I had come home.

I remembered Aunt Dellie’s words to me that morning.

“I’m so excited for you! You’re going to find friends and coven sisters who will be with you your whole life!”

Could it be that my flighty, eccentric aunt had somehow been right?

I didn’t know but as we all said good night and I turned off my lamp and snuggled down into my new bed, I thought it might be true.

But as nice as the feeling of coming home and finally finding my tribe was, it wasn’t the last thought I had before I drifted off to sleep.

The image that followed me down into the land of slumber was Griffin’s dark, perfect face—his lightning and pitch eyes flashing and his cool voice drawling, “Stay away from me, Megan Latimer. It’s easier for me and safer for you.”