Chapter Four

  The mountain lion stood on a rocky ridge, staring down at her with its yellowish-green eyes. A raspy growl emanated from its parted mouth, sending a sick feeling into Alex's gut.

  She'd heard from her neighbors about a mountain lion being spotted in the next town over but hadn't considered that it would come their direction.

  The way it kept its focus on her, as if it were deciding when to attack, left her with little doubt to the danger it presented. She gripped the walking stick with her right hand, considering it as a weapon, but decided that if she had to defend herself with it, she was likely to lose. The mountain lion had to be over a hundred pounds of pure muscle.

  This is not the way I die.

  Without moving her head, Alex searched the area for a rock or something large that she could throw, to scare it away before it could decide she was dinner.

  She spotted a fist-size chunk of limestone that had broken away from the ridge, but it was too close to the mountain lion.

  Alex briefly considered escaping down the path, but she was at least a half mile from the trailer. She didn't know how fast a mountain lion could run, but it could easily catch her, and turning her back to it and running like prey was probably the worst thing she could do.

  The mountain lion took a step forward, crouching low. It coiled itself like a spring, growling with intent.

  Everything has a weakness.

  Alex considered using magic, but she sucked at the Five Elements. She had enough faez for minor effects, but she hadn't practiced the finger gestures for years, which meant she was more likely to produce a shower of sparks than a jet of flame. Still, maybe that was enough. While she knew way more about games, she knew that some animals made themselves big and scary to frighten real predators away.

  "This is going to be real hilarious if I run towards this thing and it eats me," she muttered. "It'll say on my tombstone that she offered herself for lunch."

  The mountain lion leaned forward, its claws gripping the stone for purchase.

  "Now or never," said Alex, dropping the walking stick so she could free her hands.

  She took a deep breath and released a rage scream that would have made a berserker proud, raised her hands above her head to summon fire magic, and ran up the trail towards the mountain lion. As expected, the flames sputtered into a spray, but the release made a gargling hiss.

  The mountain lion, which had looked ready to pounce, shifted backwards, eyes wide with concern at her rapid approach.

  As Alex ran towards the mountain lion, she saw the impetuous decision in its yellowish-green eyes. She made it halfway before it turned and fled, bounding through the trees without a glance backwards.

  Alex kept screaming long after it was gone, hoping that her voice would chase the mountain lion a long ways. When she was finished, she was out of breath, and inexplicably, a bout of laughter rose up from her gut and overtook her shaking fright.

  With her face buried in her hands, laughter slipped through her fingers. She wiped away the sweat dripping off her nose and retrieved her walking stick, if only to have something to hold onto.

  "What. A. Day," she said, shaking her head.

  Legs still quivering, Alex sat on the ridge that the mountain lion had been perched on.

  It took a half hour before her thoughts could return to the decision she had to make.

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  In a way, the encounter with the mountain lion had been therapeutic. Her mind had been whirling with all the possibilities, but having faced down a deadly wild animal, the decision seemed so much simpler.

  But she knew the reason she hadn't made a snap judgement. It was her mom. Finances were terrible, and if she had to take any more sick days, she'd probably lose the trailer.

  Alex could keep that from happening if she stayed in Kentucky, but where would that get them? They'd be treading water forever, or at least until one of them faltered. But if she went to the Halls, she could get a real job, take care of her mom.

  But what to do about the bills due now?

  When Alex knew what she was going to do, she headed back down the trail, occasionally glancing behind her even though she knew the mountain lion was long gone.

  When she reentered the trailer, her mom was in the kitchen digging through the cabinets.

  "Oh, good, you're back. What do you prefer, elbow noodles with cheese, or spag noodles and a can of sauce?" asked her mom.

  "Don't we have deer stew left? I thought the pot was still in the fridge?" asked Alex.

  Her mom blinked and placed a hand against her chin before opening the refrigerator door.

  "Oh, my. You're right." She glanced askew, placing her fingertips against her temples. "I guess I forgot about it."

  "It's okay. Everyone forgets stuff," said Alex, moving past her mom to retrieve the stewpot.

  She threw it on the stove and lit the gas. The lighter sparked three times before it caught with a whoosh.

  "I feel so forgetful these days," said her mom.

  Alex's stomach tightened. Her mom wasn't going to make it any easier.

  "You've got a lot on your mind," said Alex. "Look, Mom. Can we talk?"

  Her mom shot her a worried glance.

  "Sure, sweetie. What's up?" she asked, her lips already forming a frown.

  Alex opened her mouth to tell her mom about Lord Falker, but decided she'd freak out about "strange people on the Internet."

  "I, uhm, got a scholarship to attend the Hundred Halls, for the Trials anyway," she said.

  "What? The Halls?" asked her mom, eyes searching her as if she'd broken out in hives. "But I didn't think you had enough magic...like me?"

  "It's enough to take the test, and the guy I talked to said the Trials were more about solving problems," said Alex.

  Her mother's mouth remained open as she leaned back against her chair.

  "Mom? Are you okay? I hoped you’d be happy for me," said Alex.

  Her mother's knotted forehead only tightened further. "I am, sweetie. I just…it's just so quick. I thought you were going to be here with me."

  The quiet desperation in her mother's gaze nearly broke Alex's heart. It felt like a lifeline being thrown in hopes of being pulled to safety.

  "This will be better," said Alex. "I'd never be able to earn enough money here. But if I pass the Trials and then graduate, then I can get a fantastic job. Think about it. It's the only magical university in the world, and everyone who tries to use magic without them goes mad. Even the worst student makes a killing when they graduate. You could quit working at the diner, I'd move you into my house, buy you all the yarn you wanted."

  Her mother looked at her like she was trying to give her a live rattlesnake to hold.

  "But what will I do until then?" asked her mom.

  "What you've always done, Mom. Go to work, visit Angela on Tuesday nights, bowling on Sunday afternoons. And don't worry, I'll call whenever I can. Maybe I can pick up a side job while I'm in Invictus."

  Her mother looked away, fingertips pressed against her lips.

  "But I...I'm..."

  She looked back at Alex, and whatever she had to say seemed to evaporate.

  "I'm gonna have to learn to be okay," said her mom, but she appeared on the verge of tears.

  "Mom," said Alex, throwing her arms around her. "It's going to be okay. And I might not even pass the Trials. If that happens, I'll come right back and have really cool stories to tell after that."

  "You promise?" asked her mom, pulling away and clutching her shoulders.

  "Of course," said Alex, not understanding the level of desperation in her mother's eyes. "I love you. You know that."

  "I love you too, sweetie," said her mom as she closed her eyes momentarily as if she might faint.

  The burner on the stove went out, which forced Alex to crawl under the trailer to swap out the propane tank. It was one of those things that her mother hadn't had to do in a long time because of her bad back.

  Alex told herself that their neighbor Frank was always available if her mother needed help. She was a grown woman in her early forties. She'd be fine on her own for a few years while Alex went to learn to become a mage at the Hundred Halls.

  Even thinking the word "mage" made her a little giddy inside, bubbling with an effervescence that split her face with a smile.

  A mage.

  Every kid, no matter what their level of magical ability, dreamed about joining the Hundred Halls to become a mage. Sure, it was probably the most dangerous profession in the world, but no one went there thinking they'd be the one to make the wrong finger gesture and accidently blow themselves up. That the Gamemakers Hall wanted her to join was a bonus in her eyes.

  But when she returned to the trailer, she tempered her excitement, pushing away thoughts about the Hall. If she wanted to reach the Trials she would have to leave by the end of the next day. So in the meantime, she wanted to spend as much time with her mother as possible.

  Alex relit the stove, kissed her mom on the forehead, and asked, "So. Tell me about that new knitting pattern you're working on?"