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

to change her fate. He just needed to keep his eye on the prize and remember that that’s what the three of them were trying to do together. They couldn’t change Bianca’s fate—she was the one who decided to attack a wolf shifter. She provoked him and what he did was in self-defense. But if that was the case, why would Simmons attack Gen in the future?

Mr. Graystone wiped his eyes and turned to leave the woods when he seemed to realize that Simmons was leaving. Anson found his way back to the tree line, deciding not to go traipsing across the forest to follow Mr. Graystone. The last thing he needed was a confrontation with either Head Master Simmons or Mr. Graystone. He found his way out of the woods and almost ran into Simmons and Graystone talking in front of Graystone Hall. Simmons nodded and motioned for Mr. Graystone to follow him into the building and Anson ran across the lawn, not wanting to miss what was about to happen. Had Mr. Graystone confronted the Head Master about what had just happened?

Anson quickly entered the building and panicked when he couldn’t find either man. That was when he heard Mr. Graystone shouting and the Head Master shushing him. They were standing in a dark corner near the staircase that led down to the basement. Anson got as close as possible to the two, without being noticed.

“She attacked me, Graystone. I admit, I was having a relationship with your sister, but I’d never intentionally hurt her. You say you saw what happened?” Simmons asked.

“Yes,” Graystone hissed. “All of it—including the way you gutted my poor sister and left her in the woods for dead. You were having a relationship with a first-year student, Professor Simmons, and that isn’t allowed. I wonder how the board will feel when I go to them with this information.” Graystone’s threat was met with Simmons’s laughter.

“You don’t stand a chance against me, Graystone. I’m on track for Head Master and you and your witch sister won’t stand in my way. Besides, what if I told you that there was a way that you could have everything you’ve ever wanted?” Simmons asked.

“What is it you think I want, Professor?” Mr. Graystone questioned. He sounded so cold, so smug. The man had just witnessed his sister’s murder and he didn’t sound at all upset.

“Why to have the Kirkpatrick name erased from Graystone Academy’s history. I know how you feel about your sister seeing that Kirkpatrick boy. I also know that they are tied to your family. Some even believe that this academy wouldn’t be what it is today without the Kirkpatrick’s help building it. I’m sure that you see that the buildings with the Kirkpatrick name outnumber the Graystone buildings on campus. You can make all of that disappear and everyone will believe you. Just tell them that Dugan Kirkpatrick was with your sister today and that he was the one you saw kill her. You’ll be rid of him and no one will have to know that your sister tried to murder me, protecting the Graystone name. That is what you ultimately want, isn’t it, Theo? To protect your family’s name,” Simmons asked.

“Yes,” Mr. Graystone breathed.

“How do you think everyone will react when I tell my side of the story—the part where your sister conjured a spell to end my life and that what I did, I had to do, to save myself? I’m betting that the Graystone name will be the one to disappear from campus. Your poor grandfathers will roll over in their collective graves,” Head Master Simmons taunted.

It took every ounce of willpower Anson had not to storm into the stairwell and demand justice for his father and the Kirkpatrick name. They were plotting to destroy his family’s name to save their own asses. How could he just stand by and do nothing? He couldn’t—and that was the problem.

“Listen, Graystone,” Simmons almost whispered. “All you have to do is lure Dugan Kirkpatrick to the woods. Have him be the one to find your sister’s body. It will only add to him being a suspect when the authorities arrive. I’ll call the police and give them an anonymous tip that there’s been a body found in the woods and when they get here, they’ll find a grieving, heartbroken Dugan sitting by Bianca. No one besides the two of us will ever have to know the truth.”

“The only reason I’m agreeing to any of this is to save my sister’s reputation. You destroyed that by asking her to go into the woods with you, Professor.” Once again, Simmons’s laughter echoed off the stairwell walls.

“Your sister did that to herself when she conjured a spell to kill me. You’re lucky that I’m keeping that little secret for Bianca. The only reason I’m agreeing to not dragging her name, and yours, through the mud, is because I genially cared for your sister, Theo,” Simmons said.

“Yeah—it looked like you cared when you shifted into your beast and ripped out her guts. That was a nice touch,” Mr. Graystone spat.

“Just do what I told you, Theo, and no one will be the wiser. Go find Kirkpatrick and get him to the woods. I’ll give you a five-minute head start before I call the authorities and phone in an anonymous tip,” Simmons said.

Anson ducked out of sight, knowing that if he stayed where he was, they’d find him eavesdropping on their conversation. Head Master Simmons pointed to his wristwatch, “Five minutes, Graystone,” he reminded. Theo Graystone shot the Head Master the finger and for just a minute, Anson liked the guy. Simmons chuckled and turned to go up the stairs. If Anson remembered correctly, the staff used to have offices on the second floor of Graystone Hall. He waited for Simmons to disappear up the stairs and followed Mr. Graystone out into the quad. He found him walking across the lawn to the library and Anson knew that