I target the street just behind the truck’s tailgate and in front of the lead car. I let off the same spell. The explosion happens in mid-air outside the defenses, and the lead car drives right into it. Flames blow out the windows, thick, black smoke billowing out. A couple tires blow, putting the burning car into a skid. It careens away onto the sidewalk and slams into a bus stop. I don’t see anybody get out.

Werther must have decided that this shit won’t stand because the remaining car, a jet-black Mercedes SUV, shoots forward. Letitia maneuvers the truck, trying to keep it behind us, but the truck handles like a slug, and in no time the Mercedes is alongside.

“Keep driving,” I say. “Don’t turn, don’t slow down. I’ll be right back.”

I focus on the truck’s door hinges with a spell, blowing them out. The door rattles in the frame for a second and then falls out onto the street, almost hitting the Mercedes.

“What the hell are you doing?”

“Just keep driving.”

I have enough power to pull this off, but it doesn’t hurt to top up the tanks, and it’ll get Werther looking in the wrong direction. I draw in as much energy as I can. As soon as he notices he does the same, trying to block me from the source.

With his attention split between his spells and his attempt to lock me out, everything he’s doing is going to take a hit. The next spell, I cast on myself. I feel the palms of my hands shift.

I jump out of the truck, reaching for the roof of the Mercedes. My left hand hits, sticking like a gecko, my right missing by a few inches. But those inches mean I’m hanging off the side. My left shoulder feels like it’s on fire, and I can feel the hot wetness of blood spreading into my shirt from popped stitches. I pull myself up onto the roof just as the window rolls down and bullets come out. I’m hoping Werther likes his Mercedes too much to punch holes through the roof.

I’ve done this spell hundreds of times, but this particular way only once. I ended up losing the Cadillac for over a year when I did it, but I was weaker then.

I focus on cold, empty streets, dark skies, the howl of oblivion, images running through my brain like high speed film. I reach out my senses until I can feel the entire car below me, and let the spell loose.

The air shatters in between heartbeats with a noise like a jet engine fucking a wood chipper. Day goes to twilight in a split second and the air turns cold and sucks away at my energy.