They jerked and swerved their way out of Point Grey and onto 4th Avenue heading downtown as night enveloped the city. Jacob stayed glued to the rear windshield, even though it was too dark to see far, praying they wouldn't see that man appear behind them or for a blast of magic to smash into them. He felt so useless, so powerless in the car. He kept reaching around to grab something but there was nothing. He shouldn't have given Arturo his sword.

Once they were merged with other traffic on 4th Avenue he finally tore his eyes away and looked ahead. Camilla had been silent so far.

Jacob glanced over at her. Her eyes were red and puffy. Her cheeks glistened with tear streaks. Jacob quickly looked ahead. Should he say something?

"Um, are you alright?"

"I'm fine. Just... Can you open up Google Maps? The faster we get there the better."

Jacob hooked his phone up to the Bentley's luxury display and Camilla typed in the address.

"Where are we going?" He asked.

"The Sanctuary." Camilla whispered.

"Yeah, that's what Arturo said. What is it?"

"It's the headquarters for the Regulation Order for BC. Most big cities have one."

"Will we be safe there?"

"Yes, moron! Why else would we go there? Sheriff Hueller will be there along with all of his deputies." She sniffed.

"Who's Sheriff Hueller?"

"He's the head of the Rangers in BC."

"Will he be able to beat that crazy mage?"

Camilla nodded vigourously. "I'm sure of it. Rangers are all strong mages. They fight magical creatures for a living. They've all gone to the Academy and had really intense training and had to pass an exam to become a full on Ranger."

"Stronger than you?"

Camilla rolled her eyes. "I'm not that strong. Yet. Sheriff Hueller taught me pretty much every spell I know, since my stupid father thinks it's too early for me."

"So, he can shoot fireballs and make himself stronger and stuff?"

Camilla laughed. "Oh yeah, but he has better spells. I've tried copying some of his other ones but it takes years of training to get to his level."

Jacob felt relieved. Soon all this craziness would be over. Maybe this Sheriff Hueller would teach him some magic once they'd dealt with the rogue mage? "Where is the Sanctuary?"

"Downtown. Melville Street."

Jacob tried to remember if he knew where that was, but didn't. He rarely went downtown. His parents didn't want him to because of all the homeless people, drug addicts, and thieves. Not to mention the germs, dirt, and reek of urine some alleys and corners had adopted permanently. But all that worrying seemed very distant. He was going there now. He had to go there now. He couldn't afford to be anxious about that stuff.

"There's a place there called the Refuge. It's a shelter where people within the magical community can go if they have nowhere else to stay." Camilla said.

"Like a homeless shelter?" Jacob asked nervously.

Camilla laughed, but it sounded forced. "No, moron. Well, I guess maybe a bit like that. But mostly for visiting mages or people who need protection. Like us. I used to go there sometimes when I was younger."

The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

"Why?"

Camilla shrugged and said nothing.

The traffic thickened as they got towards the turn on to Burrard Bridge, which would take them downtown. They came to a stop in a row of cars waiting to turn. Sitting there was excruciating. The guy in the Toyota next to them bobbed his head and tapped his thumbs on his wheel, jamming to some fast paced EDM thumping from his car. The lady to their right checked her makeup in her rearview mirror. Some guy came out of the Pizza Hut carrying two large pizzas and a 2L diet Pepsi under his armpit. People walked down the streets as if it were a normal day. Maybe it was for them. Jacob had the sudden urge to scream and take the wheel and just turn into the oncoming lane and floor it downtown. Didn't they know there was a freaking mage on their tail? Christ, they were sitting ducks!

The light flashed a green arrow, and Camilla jerked the car forward. They turned and then were on to the wide road leading up to the four lane Burrard Bridge. Jacob breathed out. If he hadn't caught up to them by now, then they'd lost him. And maybe all this traffic was a good thing. They'd blend in.

He impulsively checked his phone.

Mom (27)

Oh boy, that many missed calls. And a horde of messages to boot. Most along the lines of: Jacob Caibo, where the hell are you?

You are grounded, young man! If you don't get home this instant!

Slowly devolving to messages like:

Your father and I are worried sick.

Please text us. I almost called 911!

Aw darn, he really should text them, at least tell them he was alright. It had seemed exciting at first, but the thought of scaring them, really scaring them, made him want to cry.

He cleared his throat and texted back:

Mom, I'm fine. Something came up after school. A summer project for extra credit. I have to spend the night at a friend's house.

He watched the bridge lights whip by, gazed out at the cluster of glowing skyscrapers downtown and the blinking lights of tankers and shipyards along False Creek as it passed below. The glow of the city lights in the smothering blanket of night, the smooth purr of the Bentley's engine, the flash and red trail of other cars passing by, it all seemed surreal. The idea of being grounded seemed a world away. Insignificant. Less a punishment than a blessing. He'd give just about anything to be back at home in bed safe and snuggled up under the covers. For all his defiance yesterday he wished his parents were here to make things right.

The chase in the forest flashed through his mind. Those golem—Arturo—bleeding out on the ground. The half-sane look in the mage's eyes.

"Is he actually after me?" Jacob whispered.

"I don't know." Camilla said. "Maybe he's after me. Why else would he risk attacking my house? He has to know who my father is. Nobody would attack him."

You will make sure she is safe. Jacob looked at Camilla. Arturo was probably dead by now. He mustered up his courage.

"I'm sorry about Arturo-"

Camilla jerked in her seat. Jacob looked out the front windshield.

The car in front of them swerved, its taillights slaloming, leaving red streaks in the air. It smashed into something, twisted, and flipped up into the air, spinning end over end. It crashed into a mangled heap of metal and skidded along the road, throwing up a shower of sparks.

The mage stood there in the middle of the lane, mud splattered all over his clothing, glasses flashing in their headlights. He did not look happy.

Jacob wasn't sure who screamed. Maybe him. Maybe Camilla. Probably both of them.

Camilla jerked the wheel to the side. They swerved into the other lane just in time.

Then the mage was right there, slammed against the door, peering in the passenger seat window. Jacob hadn't even seen him move. The man's fingers rubbed along the windowpane, squeaking as he tried to find a purchase. The Bentley skidded beneath his weight as if it were a moose or bear that had slammed into them, not a lean man.

"Floor it!" Jacob screamed.

Camilla stomped on the gas. The Bentley's engine roared eagerly and the car boosted forward, pressing Jacob into his seat. The mage fell back, scrabbled against the side. Jacob heard him slide around the back as the Bentley passed him.

Then something latched onto them. The mage held onto the trunk lid with both hands.

"Faster!" Jacob screamed.

"It won't go any faster!" Camilla screeched back at him.

The Bentley ground forward, shifting side to side. The acrid smell of burnt rubber filled the car. The engine rose to a deafening roar.

Then the trunk snapped off and the Bentley surged forward across the bridge.

Jacob looked back. The mage held the broken trunk lid in one hand. He stared at it, then laughed. He tossed it over the side of the bridge as if it were a plastic cup. Cars swerved around him, slamming on their horns.

Then they were swerving around the crashed car and curling down the Burrard Bridge off ramp and he disappeared from sight.