Read Online Origin of the Body by H.R. Moore - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: H.R. Moore
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load more questions without answering any of the ones I’ve got already.’
Helena took in Anita’s words, gauging how to respond. Pondering, she picked up the tea pot, swirled it again and poured the contents into the mugs, ignoring the stray leaves that found their way out of the spout along with the tea. She handed a mug to each of them, inhaling deeply before she began.
‘I’m sorry the diary didn’t answer any of your questions. Clarissa wanted you to have it; she gave it to me before she went to the Temple that night. She told me to give it to you when you were old enough to understand...’
‘...which you didn’t,’ Anita blurted, unable to contain her anger.
‘Which I didn’t,’ Helena agreed, her body language that of a person walking on egg shells. ‘You’ll soon understand why.’ She looked down into her tea, taking a tentative sip of the still piping hot contents. ‘I’ll answer all your questions, anything you want to know I’ll tell you, but I need you to open the cylinder in your mind. We believe the contents could be the key to saving the world.’
‘I’ve heard that one somewhere before,’ Anita commented pitilessly, her eyes stone cold. ‘Let’s start with you answering our questions, including what was in the brass cylinder belonging to Austin you convinced me to steal – supposedly in order to save the world – and then maybe we’ll agree to help you.’
Helena sighed, irritated. She was defeated and had not a single bargaining chip, but that didn’t mean she found it any less goading that Anita was ordering her around. ‘Okay. If that’s what you want, ask away, but I’m not starting with the cylinder.’
Anita saw no point in arguing, she would get her answer soon enough, so she started with her mother. ‘So whose daughter am I? Clarissa’s or Olivia’s?’
‘Clarissa’s.’
‘How can you be sure? The diary said Clarissa was going to swap her daughter with Olivia’s that night in the Temple, but it doesn’t say she was successful.’
‘Peter told me and Alistair you were never swapped. Not at your birth, because after Olivia’s death, Peter couldn’t do it, and not after the fire, because he thought it right Cordelia should at least be granted the courtesy of looking after the child Jeffrey had spent more time with.’
‘What fire? The fire at the Temple? The one my father died in?’ Alexander asked, a feeling of excited dread filling him as he realised Helena might also be about to unlock one of the great mysteries in his life.
Helena turned her head to take in Alexander. She had always thought he was a perfect mix of his parents; her cousin Celia, his mother, had given him his strength, and his father, Anthony, had given him adaptability, such a rare and successful combination. ‘Yes, the same fire. Maybe I should just show you all I know from when Clarissa gave me the diary?’
‘If you can,’ Alexander nodded.
Anita looked confused, ‘what do you mean, show us all you know?’
‘It’s a relatively new form of meditation,’ said Alexander, ‘you essentially replay memories in a joint meditation. It’s a bit like opening a brass cylinder, but the mind of the leader determines what you see.’
‘Okay,’ said Anita, ‘if that’s the best way.’
‘With three of us, we shouldn’t need to touch,’ said Helena, folding her legs under her on the sofa, ‘assuming you two know what you’re doing?’
‘Of course,’ said Alexander, shooting Helena a look as he took hold of Anita’s hand and crossed his legs, Anita following suit.
‘Good. See you on the other side then,’ said Helena, all three of them closing their eyes.
Alexander and Anita felt a plunging rush, their insides flipping as they came to a hurtling stop inside what looked like a very ordinary office. They looked around, taking in shelves packed full of books and brass cylinders, white walls covered with complex academic
Helena took in Anita’s words, gauging how to respond. Pondering, she picked up the tea pot, swirled it again and poured the contents into the mugs, ignoring the stray leaves that found their way out of the spout along with the tea. She handed a mug to each of them, inhaling deeply before she began.
‘I’m sorry the diary didn’t answer any of your questions. Clarissa wanted you to have it; she gave it to me before she went to the Temple that night. She told me to give it to you when you were old enough to understand...’
‘...which you didn’t,’ Anita blurted, unable to contain her anger.
‘Which I didn’t,’ Helena agreed, her body language that of a person walking on egg shells. ‘You’ll soon understand why.’ She looked down into her tea, taking a tentative sip of the still piping hot contents. ‘I’ll answer all your questions, anything you want to know I’ll tell you, but I need you to open the cylinder in your mind. We believe the contents could be the key to saving the world.’
‘I’ve heard that one somewhere before,’ Anita commented pitilessly, her eyes stone cold. ‘Let’s start with you answering our questions, including what was in the brass cylinder belonging to Austin you convinced me to steal – supposedly in order to save the world – and then maybe we’ll agree to help you.’
Helena sighed, irritated. She was defeated and had not a single bargaining chip, but that didn’t mean she found it any less goading that Anita was ordering her around. ‘Okay. If that’s what you want, ask away, but I’m not starting with the cylinder.’
Anita saw no point in arguing, she would get her answer soon enough, so she started with her mother. ‘So whose daughter am I? Clarissa’s or Olivia’s?’
‘Clarissa’s.’
‘How can you be sure? The diary said Clarissa was going to swap her daughter with Olivia’s that night in the Temple, but it doesn’t say she was successful.’
‘Peter told me and Alistair you were never swapped. Not at your birth, because after Olivia’s death, Peter couldn’t do it, and not after the fire, because he thought it right Cordelia should at least be granted the courtesy of looking after the child Jeffrey had spent more time with.’
‘What fire? The fire at the Temple? The one my father died in?’ Alexander asked, a feeling of excited dread filling him as he realised Helena might also be about to unlock one of the great mysteries in his life.
Helena turned her head to take in Alexander. She had always thought he was a perfect mix of his parents; her cousin Celia, his mother, had given him his strength, and his father, Anthony, had given him adaptability, such a rare and successful combination. ‘Yes, the same fire. Maybe I should just show you all I know from when Clarissa gave me the diary?’
‘If you can,’ Alexander nodded.
Anita looked confused, ‘what do you mean, show us all you know?’
‘It’s a relatively new form of meditation,’ said Alexander, ‘you essentially replay memories in a joint meditation. It’s a bit like opening a brass cylinder, but the mind of the leader determines what you see.’
‘Okay,’ said Anita, ‘if that’s the best way.’
‘With three of us, we shouldn’t need to touch,’ said Helena, folding her legs under her on the sofa, ‘assuming you two know what you’re doing?’
‘Of course,’ said Alexander, shooting Helena a look as he took hold of Anita’s hand and crossed his legs, Anita following suit.
‘Good. See you on the other side then,’ said Helena, all three of them closing their eyes.
Alexander and Anita felt a plunging rush, their insides flipping as they came to a hurtling stop inside what looked like a very ordinary office. They looked around, taking in shelves packed full of books and brass cylinders, white walls covered with complex academic
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