Read Online Secret Breakers: The Power of Three by H. L. Dennis - Free Book Online
Authors: H. L. Dennis
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this thing’s about some weird unknown place. And it’s the thought of that place which intrigues people. Maybe it’s somewhere undiscovered.’
‘You mean another planet?’ Tusia asked.
‘Maybe.’ He paused. ‘I think it’s something even weirder than that. A world inside our world. A place that exists alongside ours. That it’s possible to find.’
Brodie retied the cord around the leather cover. ‘People really think this book could be about an undiscovered place on earth and that all those weird pictures of things could exist there?’
‘Exactly.’ Hunter sat up straight. ‘And those who believed the book’s about a hidden place on earth have had a really hard time convincing others they may be right.’
‘What d’you mean?’
‘Well, anyone who’s come close to thinking they’ve understood MS 408 has been paraded as a madman.’
‘Like who?’ Brodie was growing more nervous by the minute.
‘Oh. Loads. Newbold’s one they told me about. He was sure he’d found a hidden language in the writing after spending most of the 1920s looking at it but after his findings were published people tore his theories apart. He went insane.’
‘Well, it won’t matter if you try and read it then,’ mumbled Tusia, ‘seeing as you’re mad already.’
Hunter pretended not to hear, but the suggestion had unnerved Brodie. ‘Are we safe, d’you think?’ she said quietly.
Hunter’s face looked like he was trying to work out a difficult sum. ‘What d’you mean?’
‘Well, looking at this manuscript? If it’s driven people mad and others have done such a good job of destroying the theories about it, then are we safe messing around with it?’ She was uncertain about whether to go on. ‘And I’m not really sure they told us everything. You know. In the papers they gave us or up in the ballroom.’
Hunter seemed to be considering the idea. ‘You think they’re keeping stuff from us?’ he said.
‘I don’t know,’ Brodie said. It sounded silly to say it aloud. How could her granddad allow her to be involved in something that wasn’t safe? But she wasn’t sure he’d told her everything either. He’d said she would need to be brave. And somehow she wasn’t convinced the story really added up.
‘We have to give it a go, don’t you think?’ said Hunter quietly.
‘I intend to give it more than a go ,’ smirked Tusia.
Hunter rolled his eyes.
‘My parents believe this challenge is totally in my grasp. And I intend to prove them right.’
Brodie reached up and held the locket tight in her hand. She wished she felt so confident.
‘It’s got to be about finding the truth,’ said Tusia as if she were a judge passing sentence. ‘The group’s called Veritas after all. There has to be a truth behind what this manuscript says, however weird it looks and however badly people’ve failed before.’ She peered down at the battered red cover, almost as if by staring long enough the truth would drift out to her.
‘Yes,’ Brodie said at last. ‘The truth’s important.’ Something about how the words sounded in her head seemed to encourage her. Perhaps her mother had been close to finding the truth. Perhaps seeking the truth herself would bring her closer to her mum. She hoped so. She really did. This manuscript had a history interwoven with hers. That was what her granddad had said, and however difficult the path they were about to walk, she was determined to try her best. To pass the test and be chosen for the team that tried to break the secret of the unread book.
Kerrith Vernan tapped her newly polished fingernails on the edge of the oak desk then flicked the pages of her desk calendar with the end of her fountain pen. She folded her arms.
She couldn’t shake off the nagging feeling that something was wrong. Everything was far too quiet.
Smithies’ life was all about breaking secrets. He lived for the code. However much she detested the man she had to acknowledge that. Yet the
‘You mean another planet?’ Tusia asked.
‘Maybe.’ He paused. ‘I think it’s something even weirder than that. A world inside our world. A place that exists alongside ours. That it’s possible to find.’
Brodie retied the cord around the leather cover. ‘People really think this book could be about an undiscovered place on earth and that all those weird pictures of things could exist there?’
‘Exactly.’ Hunter sat up straight. ‘And those who believed the book’s about a hidden place on earth have had a really hard time convincing others they may be right.’
‘What d’you mean?’
‘Well, anyone who’s come close to thinking they’ve understood MS 408 has been paraded as a madman.’
‘Like who?’ Brodie was growing more nervous by the minute.
‘Oh. Loads. Newbold’s one they told me about. He was sure he’d found a hidden language in the writing after spending most of the 1920s looking at it but after his findings were published people tore his theories apart. He went insane.’
‘Well, it won’t matter if you try and read it then,’ mumbled Tusia, ‘seeing as you’re mad already.’
Hunter pretended not to hear, but the suggestion had unnerved Brodie. ‘Are we safe, d’you think?’ she said quietly.
Hunter’s face looked like he was trying to work out a difficult sum. ‘What d’you mean?’
‘Well, looking at this manuscript? If it’s driven people mad and others have done such a good job of destroying the theories about it, then are we safe messing around with it?’ She was uncertain about whether to go on. ‘And I’m not really sure they told us everything. You know. In the papers they gave us or up in the ballroom.’
Hunter seemed to be considering the idea. ‘You think they’re keeping stuff from us?’ he said.
‘I don’t know,’ Brodie said. It sounded silly to say it aloud. How could her granddad allow her to be involved in something that wasn’t safe? But she wasn’t sure he’d told her everything either. He’d said she would need to be brave. And somehow she wasn’t convinced the story really added up.
‘We have to give it a go, don’t you think?’ said Hunter quietly.
‘I intend to give it more than a go ,’ smirked Tusia.
Hunter rolled his eyes.
‘My parents believe this challenge is totally in my grasp. And I intend to prove them right.’
Brodie reached up and held the locket tight in her hand. She wished she felt so confident.
‘It’s got to be about finding the truth,’ said Tusia as if she were a judge passing sentence. ‘The group’s called Veritas after all. There has to be a truth behind what this manuscript says, however weird it looks and however badly people’ve failed before.’ She peered down at the battered red cover, almost as if by staring long enough the truth would drift out to her.
‘Yes,’ Brodie said at last. ‘The truth’s important.’ Something about how the words sounded in her head seemed to encourage her. Perhaps her mother had been close to finding the truth. Perhaps seeking the truth herself would bring her closer to her mum. She hoped so. She really did. This manuscript had a history interwoven with hers. That was what her granddad had said, and however difficult the path they were about to walk, she was determined to try her best. To pass the test and be chosen for the team that tried to break the secret of the unread book.
Kerrith Vernan tapped her newly polished fingernails on the edge of the oak desk then flicked the pages of her desk calendar with the end of her fountain pen. She folded her arms.
She couldn’t shake off the nagging feeling that something was wrong. Everything was far too quiet.
Smithies’ life was all about breaking secrets. He lived for the code. However much she detested the man she had to acknowledge that. Yet the
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