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then； they dropped again； skimming scant yards above what looked like a cleared field； but still too fast to land without total destruction。
mogget； or whatever mogget had bee； braked the paperwing again； in a series of shuddering halts that added bruises on top of bruises。
for the first time； sabriel felt the incredible relief of knowing that they would survive。 one more braking effort and the paperwing would be safely down； to skid a little in the long； soft grass of the field。
mogget braked； and sabriel cheered as the paperwing gently lay its belly on the grass and slid to what should have been a perfect landing。
but the cheer suddenly became a shriek of alarm； as the grass parted to reveal the lip of an enormous dark hole directly in their path。
too low to rise； and now too slow to glide over a hole at least fifty yards across； the paperwing reached the edge； flipped over and spiraled towards the bottom of the hole； hundreds of feet below。
w w w。 xiao shuotxt。 co m
chapter xii
灏忚txt澶╁爞
sabriel regained consciousness slowly； her brain fumbling for connections to her senses。 hearing came first； but that only caught her own labored breathing； and the creak of her armored coat as she struggled to sit up。 for the moment； sight eluded her； and she was panicked； afraid of blindness； till memory came。 it was night； and she was at the bottom of a sinkhole鈥攁 great； circular shaft bored into the ground； by either nature or artifice。 from her brief glimpse of it as they鈥檇 fallen； she guessed it was easily fifty yards in diameter and a hundred deep。 daylight would probably illuminate its murky depths； but starlight was insufficient。
pain came next； hard on the heels of memory。 a thousand aches and bruises； but no serious injury。
sabriel wiggled her toes and fingers； flexed muscles in arms； back and legs。 they all hurt； but everything seemed to work。
she vaguely recalled the last few seconds before impact鈥攎ogget； or the white force； slowing them just before they hit鈥攂ut the actual instant of the crash might never have been； for she couldn鈥檛 remember it。 shock； she thought to herself； in an abstract way； almost like she was diagnosing someone else。
her next thought came some time later； and with it the realization that she must have passed out again。 with this awakening； she felt a little sharper； her mind catching some slight breeze to carry her out of the mental doldrums。 working by touch； she unstrapped herself and felt behind her for the pack。 in her current state； even a simple charter…spell for light was out of the question； but there were candles there； and matches； or the clockwork igniter。
as the match flared； sabriel鈥檚 heart sank。 in the small； flickering globe of yellow light； she saw that only the central cockpit portion of the paperwing survived鈥攖he sad blue and silver corpse of a once marvelous creation。 its wings lay torn and crumpled underneath it； and the entire nose section lay some yards away； shorn off pletely。 one eye stared up at the circular patch of sky above； but it was no longer fierce and alive。 just yellow paint and laminated paper。
sabriel stared at the wreckage； regret and sorrow coursing like influenza in her bones； till the match burnt her fingers。 she lit another； and then a candle； expanding both her light and field of vision。
more small pieces of the paperwing were strewn over a large； open； flat area。 groaning with the effort of motivating bruised muscles； sabriel levered herself out of the cockpit to have a closer look at the ground。
this revealed the flat area to be man…made； flagstones； carefully laid。 grass had long grown between the stones； and lichen upon them； so it was clearly not recent work。 sabriel sat on the cool stones and wondered why anyone would do such work at the bottom of a sinkhole。
thinking about that seemed to kickstart her befuddled wits and she started to wonder about a few other things。 where； for instance； was the force that had once been mogget？ and what was it？ that reminded her to fetch her sword and check the bells。
her turbanned helmet had rotated around on her head and was almost back…to…front。 slowly； she slid it around； feeling every slight movement all the way down her now very stiff neck。
balancing her first candle on the paving in a pool of cooling wax； she dragged her pack and weapons out of the wreckage and lit another two candles。 she put one down near the first and took the other to light her way； walking around the destroyed paperwing； searching for any sign of mogget。 at the dismembered prow of the craft； she gently touched the eyes； wishing she could close them。
鈥渋 am sorry；鈥潯he whispered。 鈥減erhaps i will be able to make a new paperwing one day。 there should be another； to carry on your name。鈥�
鈥渟entiment； abhorsen？鈥潯aid a voice somewhere behind her； a voice that managed to sound like mogget and not at all like him at the same time。 it was louder； harsher； less human； and every word seemed to crackle； like the electric generators she鈥檇 used in wyverley college science classes。
鈥渨here are you？鈥潯sked sabriel； swiftly turning。
the voice had sounded close； but there was nothing visible within the sphere of candlelight。
she held her own candle higher； and transferred it to her left hand。
鈥渉ere；鈥潯nickered the voice； and sabriel saw lines of white fire run out from under the ruined fuselage； lines that lit the paper laminate as they ran； so that； within a second； the paperwing was burning fiercely； yellow…red flames dancing under thick white smoke； totally obscuring whatever had emerged from under the stricken craft。
no death sense twitched； but sabriel could almost smell the free magic； tangy； unnatural； nerve…jangling； tainting the thick odor of natural smoke。 then she saw the white fire…lines again； streaming out； converging； roiling； ing together鈥攁nd a blazing； blue…white creature stepped out from the funeral pyre of the paperwing。
sabriel couldn鈥檛 look at it directly； but from the corners of her arm…shielded eyes； she saw something human in shape； taller than her； and thin； almost starved。 it had no legs； the torso and head balanced upon a column of twisting； whirling force。
鈥渇ree； save for the blood price；鈥潯t said； advancing。 all trace of mogget鈥檚 voice was lost now； submerged in zapping； crackling menace。
sabriel had no doubt about the meaning of a blood price and who would pay it。 summoning all her remaining energies； she called three charter marks to the forefront of her mind； and hurled them towards the thing； shouting their names。
鈥渁net！ calew！ ferhan！鈥�
the marks became silver blades as they left her hand； mind and voice； flashing through the air swifter than any thrown dagger鈥攁nd went straight through the shining figure； apparently without effect。
it laughed； a series of rises and falls like a dog screaming in pain； and lazily slid forward。 its languid motion seemed to declare it would have no more trouble disposing of sabriel than it had in burning the paperwing。
sabriel drew her sword and backed away； determined not to panic as she had done when faced by the mordicant。 her head flicked ba