Read Online Origin of the Body by H.R. Moore - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: H.R. Moore
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diagrams on ragged, yellowing paper, and a shabby wooden desk, behind which Helena was sitting, already pulling a selection of brass cylinders towards her.
‘Is this your centre?’ asked Anita, trying to notice every detail.
‘Yes, but then again, no,’ said Helena. ‘Once your centre has come together, which usually happens at around 30, you no longer have anything other than a centre.’
‘All the places in your mind amalgamate into a new centre,’ said Alexander. ‘Sometimes they just add to your existing one and sometimes a new place takes over, but from then on, you only have one place in your mind. That’s why developing new skills afterwards is more difficult, because your centre is heavily biased towards the skills you’ve already developed and there’s no other place for your mind to entertain new abilities.’
‘So was this your centre before?’ asked Anita.
‘No,’ said Helena, ‘I’ve come a long way from where I began,’ she said, not elaborating further. ‘Sit if you wish,’ she said, indicating towards two worn old wooden chairs before picking up a cylinder and placing it on the palm of her hand, where it unrolled, jolting them to a dimly lit, pokey sitting room with mismatched furniture.
Before they had a chance to ask Helena where they were, there was a knock on the door, and a younger, more cavalier looking Helena rushed to fling it open, clearly not expecting the person who stood on the other side. ‘Clarissa,’ she said, doing nothing to hide her surprise, ‘what are you doing here so late? I didn’t even realise you were back in Kingdom.’
‘I’m sorry,’ said Clarissa, an urgency about her harassed looking features, ‘I won’t keep you long. I need to ask you a favour,’ she said, stepping through the door and making sure it was closed firmly behind her before continuing.
‘Of course, anything,’ said Helena, ‘but what are you even doing here? You know Tobias is on the war path? What have you done?’
‘I can’t explain now,’ she said, pulling a beaten up notebook from the leather travelling bag she was carrying, ‘but when you read this, you’ll understand.’
Helena took the notebook, almost snatching it from Clarissa’s hands, flicking through it with an edge of distain, ‘a diary?’ she asked, irritably. ‘Clarissa, what in the Gods’ names is going on?’
‘I need you to look after that for me, and promise to give it to Mia when she’s old enough to understand. I’m going to the Wild Lands for good and I’m taking Gwyn with me, that way Tobias will be thrown off the scent.’
‘Peter’s coming with you too?’ asked Helena, not fathoming her meaning.
‘No, of course not. Peter will stay here with Mia; we’re switching the girls to keep them safe and because we have to protect the prophecy. Please, just read the diary, don’t tell anyone about it, and give it to Mia when she’s older.’
‘Clarissa, you’re not making any sense. You’re leaving without Mia?’
‘I have no choice.’
‘What about Jeff? Where’s he?’
‘I’m leaving him here too. You know as well as I do he’s been sleeping with half of Kingdom. You know in the time he’s been back he’s already had an affair with Camilla; Tobias’ wife of all people! I finally confronted him about it but he insisted he’s never done anything unless on Institution business. He even had the audacity to try and make out his latest betrayal was because he was trying to uncover Tobias’ secrets through Camilla. Utterly ridiculous; like Tobias would ever tell Camilla anything.’
‘But he knows you’re leaving?’ asked Helena, tentatively.
‘No. He would try to convince me to stay and I don’t have the patience for even another conversation with him. He’s made his bed.’
‘Who else knows about this?’ asked Helena.
‘Nobody. Peter and I are the only ones. Look, Helena, we found out he’s not the true Body
‘Is this your centre?’ asked Anita, trying to notice every detail.
‘Yes, but then again, no,’ said Helena. ‘Once your centre has come together, which usually happens at around 30, you no longer have anything other than a centre.’
‘All the places in your mind amalgamate into a new centre,’ said Alexander. ‘Sometimes they just add to your existing one and sometimes a new place takes over, but from then on, you only have one place in your mind. That’s why developing new skills afterwards is more difficult, because your centre is heavily biased towards the skills you’ve already developed and there’s no other place for your mind to entertain new abilities.’
‘So was this your centre before?’ asked Anita.
‘No,’ said Helena, ‘I’ve come a long way from where I began,’ she said, not elaborating further. ‘Sit if you wish,’ she said, indicating towards two worn old wooden chairs before picking up a cylinder and placing it on the palm of her hand, where it unrolled, jolting them to a dimly lit, pokey sitting room with mismatched furniture.
Before they had a chance to ask Helena where they were, there was a knock on the door, and a younger, more cavalier looking Helena rushed to fling it open, clearly not expecting the person who stood on the other side. ‘Clarissa,’ she said, doing nothing to hide her surprise, ‘what are you doing here so late? I didn’t even realise you were back in Kingdom.’
‘I’m sorry,’ said Clarissa, an urgency about her harassed looking features, ‘I won’t keep you long. I need to ask you a favour,’ she said, stepping through the door and making sure it was closed firmly behind her before continuing.
‘Of course, anything,’ said Helena, ‘but what are you even doing here? You know Tobias is on the war path? What have you done?’
‘I can’t explain now,’ she said, pulling a beaten up notebook from the leather travelling bag she was carrying, ‘but when you read this, you’ll understand.’
Helena took the notebook, almost snatching it from Clarissa’s hands, flicking through it with an edge of distain, ‘a diary?’ she asked, irritably. ‘Clarissa, what in the Gods’ names is going on?’
‘I need you to look after that for me, and promise to give it to Mia when she’s old enough to understand. I’m going to the Wild Lands for good and I’m taking Gwyn with me, that way Tobias will be thrown off the scent.’
‘Peter’s coming with you too?’ asked Helena, not fathoming her meaning.
‘No, of course not. Peter will stay here with Mia; we’re switching the girls to keep them safe and because we have to protect the prophecy. Please, just read the diary, don’t tell anyone about it, and give it to Mia when she’s older.’
‘Clarissa, you’re not making any sense. You’re leaving without Mia?’
‘I have no choice.’
‘What about Jeff? Where’s he?’
‘I’m leaving him here too. You know as well as I do he’s been sleeping with half of Kingdom. You know in the time he’s been back he’s already had an affair with Camilla; Tobias’ wife of all people! I finally confronted him about it but he insisted he’s never done anything unless on Institution business. He even had the audacity to try and make out his latest betrayal was because he was trying to uncover Tobias’ secrets through Camilla. Utterly ridiculous; like Tobias would ever tell Camilla anything.’
‘But he knows you’re leaving?’ asked Helena, tentatively.
‘No. He would try to convince me to stay and I don’t have the patience for even another conversation with him. He’s made his bed.’
‘Who else knows about this?’ asked Helena.
‘Nobody. Peter and I are the only ones. Look, Helena, we found out he’s not the true Body
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