by HR Moore
LEGACY OF THE MIND
By HR Moore
Published by Harriet Moore
Copyright 2013 HR Moore
Titles by HR Moore:
Legacy of the Mind
Origin of the Body
Design of the Spirit
https://www.hrmoore.com
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For Chris and for Alice.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
About the Author
Connect with HR Moore
Other Titles by HR Moore
CHAPTER 1
‘You won again.’ It was a statement, not a question as Cleo knew what the answer would be.
Anita inhaled, lines appearing on her forehead as she raised her eyebrows, two graceful dark wings framing impatient grey eyes. She had entered and won every challenge since she was twelve years old. First she’d won all the junior challenges, then, when she was fifteen and competing at a pace none of the adults could keep up with, people started to care more about who came second, as that’s where the real competition was.
‘So nonchalant.’ Cleo teased.
‘It’s hard to get excited about winning when you know you’re going to win.’
‘I don’t know, Bas has got pretty close to you a couple of times,’ said Cleo, mischievously, her eyes glinting as she threw her long, silky, black hair over her shoulder.
Cleo on to her favourite topic of conversation so soon, that must be some kind of record, thought Anita. She half smiled and raised one lofty eyebrow. ‘Bas. Beat me?’
Cleo smirked. ‘No, I suppose not’.
‘Come on, we’ll be late if we don’t get a move on, and I’d be happy not to be late to our Mind class given how terrible I am at it.’ Anita was very definitely a Body; she could take anyone on when competing in Body disciplines. She suspected there may be a fair bit of Sprit in her blood too, but Mind had always been a challenge. She didn’t really understand why everyone had to continue with these ridiculous classes for years after school anyway. She was 25, but formal weekend education had to continue until 30, the age when the ‘Centre comes together’, whatever the bloody hell that meant. Allegedly, at the mystical age of 30, one’s Mind, Body and Spirit blend into one, and from that point, developing any one skill becomes more of a challenge.
Anita found Mind enough of a challenge anyway and seeing as nobody she knew had morphed into some new magical being at 30, she suspected that it was all just propaganda anyway. The Descendants and their Councils had always had a passion for the theatrical. However, today was not the day to challenge the Descendants’ vision and she really didn’t want to have to play chess for hours on end with a Councillor, the punishment for being late, so it was best to be on time.
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‘Oh look who’s here,’ said Cleo, playfully, shooting a sly sideways glance in Anita’s direction as they approached the Temples. Anita looked around and saw the cause of Cleo’s sudden excitement; she’d clocked Bas’ tall, muscular frame, angular features and short sandy coloured hair. He exuded his normal relaxed demeanour, leaning back against the base of a large oak tree soaking up the sun’s hot rays, legs half bent in front of him, arms resting easily on his knees. ‘He seems to be looking for someone…I wonder who that could be.’ Cleo was in her element, mincing her sparrow-like legs, boyish hips sashaying gleefully as they approached.
Anita shoved her roughly, putting an end to the strutting, but knowing all this would really do was encourage her. ‘I see him every day at the Observatory. He’s probably looking for that girl we saw him with last week,’ she said, a little too defensively, because not very deep down Anita knew Cleo was right. He was waiting for her like he always was. She could feel his energy perk up every time he saw her, a sharp intensification that directly corresponded with the wide, endearing smile that would spread across his face. Thank the Gods not everyone could feel energy and nobody knew she could. It was usually a skill reserved for the Spirits, and usually, only those that had spent a very long time studying, but she had always been able to do it, ever since she could remember.