The train came to a stop. Most of the time I wondered at its construction, but not tonight—I needed to get across San Francisco. This late at night, there was barely a crowd, but I was first at the door. I tapped my foot and looked around to see if I was followed, but there was still no sign of Caleb or his crew.
The doors swung open and I felt the blast of cold air hit me, then something struck my chest and I flew back against the fence. The crowd of people rushed into the train as I watched Caleb step out. His long, black duster hung on his broad shoulders. He thumped his club in his hand, with silver sigils illuminating his dark face.
“Evening, William. Pleasant night,” Caleb said as he strolled out of the train. Bold of him to come at me out in the open. “It’s a shame it’s your last.
Fear wrapped around my mind like a python and squeezed.
” He sent out a red blast from his club.
I spun and the heat of his blast nearly scalded me.
I managed to get up and mumble a spell that encased me in a shield. He took a wide swing and I dodged it, but barely. My shield would only absorb one hit from him with those sigils, so I couldn’t be careless.
I tried to move to the train but Caleb quickly got in my way, swinging his club, nearly catching me under the chin. I leaned back and fired off a small ice spell under his foot. He went off balance and I followed up with a blast to his shoulder. He went down and I felt the vibrations of his fall in the wooden floor of the depot.
I made it to the door, but Caleb’s spell got there first, putting up a barrier—a weak one, one I could blast through easily enough if I had the time—but just then I heard the train’s brakes disengage—it was about to leave me here—and consign Marie to her death.
The conductor yelled out of the window, “Last call. Last train.”
The last train—I wouldn’t get another chance.
I couldn’t fail Marie—panic swept over me. I didn’t have a spell to get me there, and I couldn’t defeat Caleb and get on that train. I didn’t have any pieces on the board that made a difference.
But I remembered something Anderson said—solve for the result, not the problem. After every failed attempt at an imbuing, he’d say it and then explain what the better method was. I was solving for Caleb—my rookie moves still haunted me.
I ran back to the wall—the one Caleb introduced me to—and charged up my club.
Caleb stood up and dusted himself off. “Looks like you aren’t going to make it.
I ran at him and fired my club. He instinctively ducked down and I used my last spell to launch me onto his shoulders and from there I leaped onto the top of the train as it pulled away.
I watched Caleb turn around as the wave of shock hit him, seeing me pull away from the station.
“I’ll tell her you said hello,” I said and waved goodbye.
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