Eden's Playground: Graystone Academy Book One, BE Kelly [good short books .TXT] 📗

“What the hell, Bianca?” he asked.

“She’s going to use a spell to kill him,” Eden said. She let go of both Anson and Duff’s hands and took off for her aunt. She knew the spell well; her mother had taught it to her. It was a protection spell that could end up killing the attacker if not properly controlled. She had only seen one other witch use the spell, her grandmother when she was just a little girl.

They were out shopping and some asshole had jumped her and her grandmother, demanding their money and shopping bags. Her grandmother was furious and Eden remembered her eyes glowing purple, just like Bianca’s were now. Her grandmother made a bubble of protection around her and by the time she finished with their attacker, he was dead. All Eden remembered from that day was her grandmother’s glowing eyes and the way the purple light transferred from her hands to the guy’s chest, knocking him out cold. At least, she thought he was just knocked out, but she found out later on the evening news, that he was found dead in the alley where she and her grandmother left him. She made a promise to her grandmother never to tell anyone what she had seen that day and Eden kept her vow.

“Eden, no,” Anson shouted. He and Duff were running for her and she stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Head Master Simmons shift and attack her aunt. Bianca fell to the ground before she could finish her spell and by the time the guys had caught up to her, her aunt was dead. She watched as her once glowing eyes faded to darkness—her life force drained. Her aunt was gone and there was nothing she could do to save her. Duff wrapped his arms around her and pulled her behind a tree before they could be noticed.

“He killed her,” she whispered.

“He had no choice,” Anson said. “She was conjuring some spell—you saw her. What was she trying to do?”

“Kill him,” Eden admitted. “It’s a protection spell but when it goes too far, and the witch’s eyes start glowing purple like that, it’s deadly. She would have ended up killing Head Master Simmons if he didn’t act as he had.” Admitting the truth didn’t make her feel any better.

“We need to get out of here. We need to stop our father from entering the woods and finding her body. If we can do that, your father won’t blame him for Bianca’s death. He’ll know the truth,” Duff said.

Eden pointed across the forest to the man who hid behind one of the trees, “My father already knows the truth,” she said. “He saw the whole thing happen, just as we have. He knew that your father was innocent this whole time.”

“You’re sure it’s him?” Anson asked, peaking around the tree. Her father was hidden well, but she’d know him anywhere. His dark hair fell over his forehead and his signature thick rimmed glasses didn’t hide the terror in his dark eyes. It was him and he had seen everything, just as she had.

“I’m sure,” Eden whispered. “Stopping your father won’t help. We need to stop my father from going to the authorities. He’s the one who knows the truth and blamed an innocent man. He ruined your father’s life—I’m so sorry,” she breathed.

“None of this is your fault. We just need to make sure that we stop our father from being blamed in all of this, and make sure that the right man stands trial for his crimes—both past and future,” Anson growled. Eden knew he was thinking of his friend Geneva and she wondered if he could be right. If Head Master Simmons killed Bianca, there was a chance he killed Gen in the future. Stopping him now might be the only way to help change all of their fates—for better or worse.

Anson

“What do we do?” Eden asked.

“We follow your father. I have a feeling that if we can stop him from spreading lies about our father, we can change the future,” Anson said. At least, that was what he was hoping for. All those years of watching his father fail at everything—being a lousy husband and dad, drinking himself half-blind, and not giving a shit about anything but his failed past. It could all be changed by wiping out one little lie.

“I’ll find Dad and make sure that he doesn’t go into the woods,” Duff said.

“How will you do that without him seeing you?” Eden asked.

“I’m not sure. I’ll lock him in a broom closet if I have to. But I’ll make sure that he doesn’t go anywhere near the woods until the authorities find the body,” Duff said.

“Eden, you find a phone and make an anonymous call to the authorities about there being a dead woman in the woods. Tell them that you saw the whole thing and that Head Master Simmons was the one who did it. That will help take away some of your father’s credibility when he tries to accuse our dad,” Anson said. “I’ll follow your father and see what he does next.”

“Wait, how will you find us when this is all done?” Eden asked. “I still need to cast the spell to take us home.” Anson pointed to his head and smiled.

“I’ll find you, Honey,” he promised. “I’ll find you both. Now, go,” he ordered. The three of them went their separate ways and Anson waited for Theo Graystone to move from his hiding place behind the thick brush and trees. He wasn’t sure how Eden had even seen him back there.

Anson watched as Head Master Simmons shifted back to his human form and covered Bianca’s lifeless body with leaves. He remembered finding Gen like that—lifeless, gutted, and covered in leaves. He’d give just about anything to forget how he found her and even more,