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senger was truly abhorsen鈥檚； then he himself was unable to return to the realm of the living。
and that meant he was either dead； or trapped by something that should have passed beyond the final gate。
once again； a wave of nausea overcame her and sabriel fell to her knees； shaking。 she could feel the magistrix鈥檚 hand on her shoulder； but her attention was fastened on the sack she held in her hand。 she didn鈥檛 need to look to know that the creature was gone。 its manifestation into the living world had ceased as its spirit had gone past the first gate。 only a pile of grave mold would remain； to be swept aside in the morning。
鈥渨hat did you do？鈥潯sked the magistrix； as sabriel brushed her hands through her hair； ice crystals falling from her hands onto the sack that lay in front of her knees。
鈥渋t had a message for me；鈥潯eplied sabriel。 鈥渟o i took it。鈥�
she opened the sack； and reached inside。 a sword hilt met her grasp； so she drew it out； still scabbarded； and put it to one side。 she didn鈥檛 need to draw it to see the charter symbols etched along its blade鈥攖he dull emerald in the pommel and the worn bronze…plated crossguard were as familiar to her as the school鈥檚 uninspired cutlery。 it was abhorsen鈥檚 sword。
the leather bandolier she drew out next was an old brown belt； a hand鈥檚…breadth wide； which always smelled faintly of beeswax。 seven tubular leather pouches hung from it； starting with one the size of a small pill bottle； growing larger； till the seventh was almost the size of a jar。 the bandolier was designed to be worn across the chest； with the pouches hanging down。 sabriel opened the smallest and pulled out a tiny silver bell； with a dark； deeply polished mahogany handle。 she held it gently； but the clapper still swung slightly； and the bell made a high； sweet note that somehow lingered in the mind； even after the sound was gone。
鈥渇ather鈥檚 instruments；鈥潯hispered sabriel。
鈥渢he tools of a necromancer。鈥�
鈥渂ut there are charter marks engraved on the bell 。 。 。 and the handle！鈥潯nterjected the magistrix； who was looking down with fascination。
鈥渘ecromancy is free magic； not governed by the charter 。 。 。鈥�
鈥渇ather鈥檚 was different；鈥潯eplied sabriel distantly； still staring at the bell she held in her hand； thinking of her father鈥檚 brown； lined hands holding the bells。 鈥渂inding； not raising。 he was a faithful servant of the charter。鈥�
鈥測ou鈥檙e going to be leaving us； aren鈥檛 you？鈥�
the magistrix said suddenly； as sabriel replaced the bell and stood up； sword in one hand； bandolier in the other。 鈥渋 just saw it； in the reflection of the bell。 you were crossing the wall 。 。 。鈥�
鈥測es。 into the old kingdom；鈥潯aid sabriel； with sudden realization。 鈥渟omething has happened to father 。 。 。 but i鈥檒l find him 。 。 。 so i swear by the charter i bear。鈥�
she touched the charter mark on her forehead； which glowed briefly； and then faded so that it might never have been。 the magistrix nodded and touched a hand to her own forehead； where a glowing mark suddenly obscured all the patterns of time。 as it faded； rustling noises and faint whimpers began to sound along both sides of the dormitory。
鈥渋鈥檒l shut the door and explain to the girls；鈥潯he magistrix said firmly。 鈥測ou鈥檇 better go and 。 。 。
prepare for tomorrow。鈥�
sabriel nodded and left； trying to fix her mind on the practicalities of the journey； rather than on what could have happened to her father。
she would take a cab as early as possible into bain； the nearest town； and then a bus to the ancelstierre perimeter that faced the wall。 with luck； she would be there by early afternoon 。 。 。
behind these plans； her thoughts kept jumping back to abhorsen。 what could have happened to trap him in death？ and what could she really hope to do about it； even if she did get to the old kingdom？
w锛穡锛氾紵
chapter ii
脳灏徝楄脳t脳脳xt脳澶┟楀爞
the perimeter in ancelstierre ran from coast to coast； parallel to the wall and perhaps half a mile from it。 concertina wire lay like worms impaled on rusting steel pickets； forward defenses for an interlocking network of trenches and concrete pillboxes。 many of these strong points were designed to control the ground behind them as well as in front； and almost as much barbed wire stretched behind the trenches； guarding the rear。
in fact； the perimeter was much more successful at keeping people from ancelstierre out of the old kingdom； than it was at preventing things from the old kingdom going the other way。
anything powerful enough to cross the wall usually retained enough magic to assume the shape of a soldier； or to bee invisible and simply go where it willed； regardless of barbed wire； bullets； hand grenades and mortar bombs鈥攚hich often didn鈥檛 work at all； particularly when the wind was blowing from the north； out of the old kingdom。
due to the unreliability of technology； the ancelstierran soldiers of the perimeter garrison wore mail over their khaki battledress； had nasal and neck bars on their helmets and carried extremely old…fashioned sword…bayonets in wellworn scabbards。 shields； or more correctly； 鈥渂ucklers； small； perimeter garrison only；鈥潯ere carried on their backs； the factory khaki long since submerged under brightly painted regimental or personal signs。 camouflage was not considered an issue at this particular posting。
sabriel watched a platoon of young soldiers march past the bus； while she waited for the tourists ahead of her to stampede out the front door； and wondered what they thought of their strange duties。 most would have to be conscripts from far to the south； where no magic crept over the wall and widened the cracks in what they thought of as reality。 here； she could feel magic potential brewing； lurking in the atmosphere like charged air before a thunderstorm。
the wall itself looked normal enough； past the wasteland of wire and trenches。 just like any other medieval remnant。 it was stone and old； about forty feet high and crenellated。 nothing remarkable； until the realization set in that it was in a perfect state of preservation。 and for those with the sight； the very stones crawled with charter marks鈥攎arks in constant motion； twisting and turning； sliding and rearranging themselves under a skin of stone。
the final confirmation of strangeness lay beyond the wall。 it was clear and cool on the ancelstierre side； and the sun was shining鈥攂ut sabriel could see snow falling steadily behind the wall； and snow…heavy clouds clustered right up to the wall； where they suddenly stopped； as if some mighty weather…knife had simply sheared through the sky。
sabriel watched the snow fall； and gave thanks for her almanac。 printed by letterpress； the type had left ridges in the thick； linen…rich paper； making the many handwritten annotations waver precariously between the lines。 one spidery remark； written in a hand she knew wasn鈥檛 her father鈥檚； gave the weather to be expected under the respective calendars for each country。
ancelstierre had 鈥渁utumn。 likely to be cool。鈥�
the old kingdom had 鈥渨inter。 bound to be snowing。 skis or snowshoes。鈥�
the last tour