For what it was worth, he was often just as closed lipped with peers so it had nothing to do with her status as a novice. She'd just had the misfortune of approach one of the least social members of the whole damn castle. Though Eden was actually doing a good job of coaxing more information, and genuine conversation, out of the taciturn Black Court teacher than most upon a first meeting.

"Some of the courses, in any of the Courts, can require a novice to commit to a level of moral introspection that can be overwhelming. It may not seem so, in this time of information overload, but if you speak with your Maker and your teachers you will discover there is a carefully developed path of course to help guide you. It's best not to try to skip ahead."

Does ... does it sound as if he might have some personal experience with what happened when you skipped ahead> Hard to tell, since his voice never shifted away from it's soft-spoken, near monotone.