Shattering the Ley by Joshua Palmatier Read Free Book Online Page B

simply manifesting some talents early. Don’t worry, it’s not unheard of. Sometimes the talent—whatever it may be—simply appears off and on ahead of time, as early as five years before testing. If it continues, bring it to the attention of someone at her school.”
    Kara heard movement, some more conversation too muffled for her to make out, and then a door closing.
    A moment later, her father appeared in the door to the bedroom, his hair wild, his eyes haunted and hollow, bruised with lack of sleep. Kara gasped and tried to rise, but couldn’t; her arms felt leaden. She could barely raise her hands off the blanket that covered her, and after a few moments holding them in the air, trembling as if palsied, she let them fall back into place. She stared at them in horror, then, with effort, turned her head toward her father.
    “What’s wrong with me?” She nearly choked on the words, her throat suddenly thick and tight. Tears burned at the corners of her eyes.
    Her father stepped to her side and knelt, placing a hand on her forehead as if checking for a fever before brushing her hair back from her eyes with a tight smile. “There’s nothing wrong with you, Kara. The healer was here and he checked everything out. He says that the excitement of the sowing of the tower overwhelmed you and wore you out, that’s all.”
    Kara could hear the doubt in his voice. “I can barely move my arms.”
    Her father frowned. “Do they hurt?”
    She shook her head weakly. “They just feel . . . heavy.” She tried to move her legs, but they merely shifted beneath the blanket. She could wiggle her toes and make a fist with her hand, but anything more and her body barely reacted.
    What if they never moved again?
    Something seized her chest and began to tighten. It suddenly became hard to breathe, her throat constricted, but before she could completely panic, her father leaned over and kissed her forehead. “Hush. Don’t try to move. The healer said everything was fine, remember? You’re exhausted, that’s all. You’ll get your strength back. I bet you can even move your arm more now than you could a moment ago, right?” He sat back and motioned for her to try.
    Kara frowned and tried to raise her right hand again. It came off the blanket much easier than before, and she could hold it in the air longer, but eventually it began shuddering and she had to lay it back down.
    “See?” her father said. “You’re already recovering.” He squeezed her shoulder with one hand as he stood. “I have some of the stew from last night warming in the pot. It should be well-flavored after a night out on the windowsill in the cold.”
    He left, moving into the kitchen where she could hear him rummaging around. She waited for him to start humming to himself, but he didn’t, so she knew he was still worried about something. She didn’t hear her mother, but the light coming in from the direction of the kitchen meant it was just after midday. Her mother would still be at the tower.
    She spent the next few minutes concentrating on her arms and legs, lifting them until she couldn’t hold them up any longer, moving her hands, her feet, twisting her head around. The initial panic eased, although it still prickled her chest when her limbs collapsed, or her wrist sagged, too tired to hold her hand upright. The weight she’d felt since she’d woken still pressed over her body, as if she’d run and run and run until she couldn’t run any farther and had collapsed, drained and empty.
    Leaning her head back against her thin feather pillow, she thought about what she’d heard the healer say. She knew about the testing of talents at school, although she hadn’t thought about it much since it wasn’t supposed to happen for another two years. Everyone was tested, and then they could choose where they wanted to apprentice after that. Except for those that showed some significant talent. They were sent to the University in Confluence to