Lock and Key (Nocturne Academy 1)

“I hope you’re right,” I said pessimistically. “And I’m sorry, Avery—I didn’t mean to be rude. I’m just used to being on my own and looking out for myself, I guess.”

“Well, you’re part of a coven now,” Avery lectured. “Part of our own little Norm Dorm Tribe. So you don’t have to be Miss Independence any more.”

“Avery’s right,” Emma said, reaching out to squeeze my hand. “We’ve got your back, Megan. But I’m still worried about Kaitlyn. Are you protecting her, Avery?” she asked anxiously.

“I was going to,” Avery said. “But the fact is, I believe someone has beaten me to it.”

“What? What are you talking about?” Emma and I both demanded, leaning towards him.

“Well…” Avery smiled at us mysteriously. “As it turns out, someone is already watching Katilyn’s back—though I doubt she’s noticed it, the way she’s always looking down, you know,” he added.

“Who is it?” I asked.

“Ari Reyes.” Avery spoke the name with relish. “I started noticing while I was watching out for Kaitlyn that he was following her to and from every class—at a distance but still, definitely keeping an eye on her.”

“Reyes? But he’s a Drake too!” Emma was aghast. “This is bad, Avery! He’s probably scoping out her patterns so he can tell Sanchez when she’s most vulnerable!”

“I thought as much myself,” Avery said, nodding wisely. “But then I did a little spell called ‘The True Heart Revealed.’ It’s a handy little scrying incantation that lets the scryer know the true intentions of the subject he or she is investigating. In this case—Reyes.”

“Okay, so what did you find?” I asked, though I thought I already knew.

“Extreme feelings of protectiveness,” Avery said, frowning a little. “And not just from Reyes—from his Drake as well, I think. At least, there seemed to be two separate and distinct beings involved.”

“So…he’s following her to make sure she’s all right?” Emma still sounded doubtful but I wasn’t a bit surprised myself and said so.

“You should have seen him punch Sanchez out when he called Kaitlyn a freak and then the way he gave her his shirt and stood guard outside the exam room at the Healer’s office,” I told her. “I don’t know why he wants to protect her, but I think he really does—Avery is right, she’s already got a guardian angel. Or, a guardian Drake, I guess.” I shrugged.

“Isn’t Reyes Spanish for king or something like that?” Avery asked vaguely. “Anyway, I’m still keeping an eye on her but after working my little spell, I’m not nearly as worried as I was. After all, nobody can protect you from a Drake half as well as another Drake. Well, except for a Nocturne who can control beasts, that is,” he added, nodding at me.

I had told all of them about how Griffin had gotten Coach Vasquez to let Kaitlyn out of gym for the rest of the year and Avery had been suitably impressed.

“That’s really strong magic,” he had told me. “Most Nocturnes don’t have magical skills the way we witches do. Only the oldest and the strongest families can claim to have that kind of power.”

Thinking of that made me think of Griffin, who was never far from my mind, and something occurred to me.

“What was that spell called that you did again?” I asked, just as Kaitlyn finally came to join us at our table in the far corner of the Dining Hall. “The True Heart Uncovered?”

“The True Heart Revealed,” he murmured and cut his eyes towards her, letting me know he hadn’t told Kaitlyn that she had a silent protector. “Why do you ask?”

“Well…because I’m wondering if you could do it again. For me, this time,” I said. “Because, well…I need to know Griffin’s true intentions towards me.”

“Are you worried he’s only after your body?” Avery inquired archly.

“No—I’m worried he’s only after my blood,” I corrected him

“Oh? And why is that?” Emma asked.

I sighed. All day long I had been debating whether to tell them about Griffin’s conditional offer to talk and his strange invitation to “his place” that weekend. Now the whole story came rushing out as well as my anxiety and confusion.

“So now I don’t know what to think,” I ended, spreading my hands helplessly. “He acts like such a gentleman one minute and then he warns me away from him the next. I mean, should I go?”

“Absolutely not!” Emma said at the same time Kaitlyn said, “No way!”

But Avery looked thoughtful.

“Normally I would say no, you should never put yourself in a strange place with a dangerous Nocturne who might be thirsting for your blood,” he said. “But the fact that he’s marked you changes things somewhat. The mark is a sign of devotion and protection—for him to harm you after marking you would be kind of like, well…” He frowned as though trying to think of a good metaphor. “It would be kind of like adopting a puppy from the pound and then drowning it.”