Vivian stepped back until he was about a hundred feet away, breathing hard.
He put a hand on his chest and looked at Charlotte.
"Do you have anything that can hurt him?" he asked.
Charlotte thought for a moment, then said, "I do, but it will take two minutes to get ready."
Vivian hummed and slipped into thought.
"What about that new spell you made?" he asked.
He meant the one she had been working on for weeks, locked away in her room.
Charlotte shook her head.
"Not now. It isn't ready. It needs time to chant, and after I use it I won't be able to fight."
Her voice was quiet and steady, but her eyes were worried.
She watched the professor move a little, testing them with his gaze.
"And we must be sure it hits. From the way he moves, he'll dodge it easily."
Vivian pressed his lips together.
He looked at the professor, at the way the man stood calm and ready.
The wind blew dust across the floor.
Vivian stepped closer to Charlotte and lowered his voice.
