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

the twins, haven’t you?” she asked again. Had she fallen in love with Duff and Anson? She barely knew them, but that didn’t matter. Eden had felt a strange connection to them both since meeting them. She couldn’t explain it and she really didn’t have time to. Glory was right though—she had fallen in love with them both.

“I am in love with them—both of them,” Eden admitted. “We have to help them, Glory. Please,” she begged.

“Let’s see what we can find out from Bianca,” Glory said. “Then, I’ll help the three of you get back to your time. This won’t be pleasant, dear. Talking to the dead never is.”

“I can handle it,” Eden said. “I have to know why she attacked Head Master Simmons. She tried to kill him and that’s why he attacked her. He killed her and left her body in the woods. It’s this way,” Eden said, leading the way to the edge of the tree line. They ducked into the brush and Glory followed Eden down to Bianca’s leaf-covered body.

“That’s my aunt,” Eden whispered, as a way of introduction.

“Bianca and I know each other, Eden,” Glory said. “She was my friend. I’m sorry.” At first, Eden thought that Glory was offering her condolences over the loss of her aunt, but when she looked at Glory, she realized she was talking to Bianca.

“Can she hear you?” Eden asked. Glory nodded and shifted back to her fae form. She closed her eyes and said something in a language that Eden didn’t understand, and when she opened her eyes again, Bianca’s spirit appeared in front of her.

“Glory,” Bianca said, panic evident in her voice. “What happened?”

“Professor Simmons killed you,” Glory reminded.

“Oh God—it wasn’t supposed to happen that way. He should be the one laying there,” Bianca said, pointing back at her lifeless body. “Not me.”

“Why did you try to kill him?” Eden asked.

“Who are you?” Bianca asked.

“I’m your niece,” Eden said. “I’m Theo’s daughter—from the future,” she quickly added. “I came back here to try to help you but then, I saw your eyes. They were glowing purple. You tried to kill Professor Simmons. Why would you do that?”

Bianca smiled and looked Eden over, “I see the family resemblance,” she said. “You look like Theo. How long do I have before I disappear, Glory?” she asked.

“A few minutes at best, Bianca. And this time, I won’t be able to bring you back. You’ll be gone for good,” Glory whispered.

“Understood,” Bianca said. “I cast a spell to kill Professor Simmons because I found out that he’s the one who has been killing witches and burying them in these woods.” She motioned to the land around them and Eden looked around, inching closer to Glory.

“There are more witches out here?” Eden asked.

“Witches and fae. He wants to kill us all,” she said. “If you don’t stop him, the murders will continue. He’ll get away with it, just as he has for years now. He’s a murderer and someone needs to stop him.” Bianca was fading and Eden could tell that it was taking every ounce of her strength to stay in this world to tell her what had really happened. Her aunt wasn’t a murderer, Head Master Simmons was. He was alive in both times and he was probably the shifter who killed Geneve.

“You have to stop him, Eden. It’s your obligations as a Graystone,” Bianca said.

“I’m so sorry, Bianca. I shouldn’t have thought you capable of murdering someone. I should have helped you and maybe you wouldn’t be—” Eden looked down at her aunt’s lifeless body and back up to find that she had completely disappeared.

“This was how it was meant to be,” she heard Bianca’s voice whispered on the soft breeze that fluttered around them, and then she was gone.

“Thank you,” Eden whispered to Glory.

“For what? I didn’t do anything,” she said.

“You allowed me to meet my aunt. You helped me to find out the truth about what happened here today and now, I know what I have to do. I must stop Professor Simmons from doing this to anyone else,” Eden said.

“Eden,” Anson called from the edge of the forest. He and Duff were together and they were safe. She breathed a sigh of relief at just seeing them both again.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing coming back here?” Duff asked. “You were supposed to call the authorities.”

“I know but then I met—” Duff looked Glory over and crossed his arms over his chest, staring her down.

“Who the hell are you? Why would you bring her back here, Eden? This isn’t show and tell,” Duff growled.

“I bet I’ve had to wash your mouth out with soap quite a few times,” Glory said to Duff.

Anson laughed, “Yep,” he agreed. “He is the mouthy twin. I’m the good one,” he said.

Glory looked Anson up and down and smiled, “I highly doubt that,” she teased.

“It’s good to see you Glory,” Anson said pulling her in for a quick hug.

“Glory?” Duff questioned. “You don’t look like you. How did you get here?”

“I already was here,” she admitted. “Future me has been busy sending past me—well, me,” she said, pointing to herself, “notes to help the three of you.” Duff looked at Glory as if she had lost her mind and Eden giggled.

“Don’t try too hard to understand all of that, Duff. It took me a few tries at first too. Your Glory sent herself letters in the past, telling past Glory to help us,” Eden said, trying to help.

“Okay, well you’re here now and that’s all that matters,” Anson said. “Why would you bring her here, Eden?” he asked, looking down at Bianca’s body.

“It was my idea,” Glory said. “I can talk to the dead—well, their spirits. Eden needed to find out why her aunt tried to kill Professor Simmons and we only had a window of opportunity to talk to Bianca before she disappeared forever.”

“You talk to spirits?” Duff asked.

“Is he always this slow?” Glory asked Anson.

“Yes,” Anson breathed.