Cruel Saints (Lochkelvin Academy Book 1) by Evie Kady

Author:Evie Kady [Kady, Evie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-05-13T18:30:00+00:00

In politics the following day, Dr. Moncrieff acts like my detention never happened. As he bounds across the front of the room, eagerly describing logical fallacies, he seems much less like a broken man. It’s as though a switch has turned on inside him. It makes me wonder how much of teaching is really acting.

I note with interest that he keeps catching Arabella’s dreamy gaze.

When we split into pairs to work on our presentation, Arabella’s face is flushed and happy.

“What are you doing for Hallowe’en?” she asks conversationally, flicking through her textbook.

I blink at her. She’s barely acknowledged me since landing me in a vortex of detention hell for weeks.

“Nothing?” I don’t know. I hadn’t expected to do anything, mainly because the thought of spending time with most of the people in this school is terrifying enough without adding Hallowe’en into the mix.

Arabella looks astonished. “But you must! Lochkelvin takes its traditions very seriously.”

With a frown, I mull over her words. This is the second time I’ve heard a statement like that about Hallowe’en. It makes me wonder exactly what happens here at Hallowe’en. From the sounds of it, it isn’t regular old trick-or-treating.

“So what are you doing?”

“The girls and I are dressing up like mythical creatures from Scottish folklore.” Arabella gazes at Dr. Moncrieff, spinning her pen around her fingers. She looks utterly lovesick.

Meanwhile, I’m just… sick. “Great. I hope you have a good time.” Danny and I have low-key plans to sit in my room and read his impressive collection of comics. I’ve never really read comics before but Danny’s an expert in them, so I figure the escapism will do me good. I might finally open up my stash of candy from back home and share it with him.

Well, probably. I don’t know, I haven’t actually asked Danny yet to confirm it’s happening. He’s been a little distracted lately.

But Arabella gives me a funny look, her mouth twisting like she’s not sure I’m being serious. “Hallowe’en isn’t an option, Jessa. If you’re a student at Lochkelvin, you have to attend. It’s obligatory.”

At dinner, Danny pretty much confirms Arabella’s bizarre statement. “Yeah, all students take part. It’s a stupid ritual thing they do every year.” He spoons a bunch of peas into his mouth like his words are no big deal.

“Ritual?” I ask in a nervous voice as goosebumps stretch across my skin. “What kind of ritual?”

“Like, there’s a dress code set by Lochkelvin — you can’t just go as a superhero or anything fun, you have to stick to an animal or mythical creature, that kind of thing. And then at midnight there’s this big song and dance.”

“A song and dance about what?”

“No, I mean there is a big song and dance. Music, chanting, we sing the Lochkelvin school song while dancing in circles. Someone gets chosen to enter the forest. That kind of thing.” He shrugs. “It happens every Hallowe’en. It’s just a daft ritual some stupid rich person made up that’s managed to get passed down the generations.

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