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ted marksman。
eight small suns flowered at his fingertips； grew to the size of his clenched fists； and shot out； leaving white trails of after…image in the air。 a split second later； a scream from below testified to their finding at least one target。
numbly； sabriel wondered how touchstone could possibly still have the strength for such a spell。 wonder became surprise as he suddenly bent and lifted her up； pack and all； cradling her in his arms鈥攁ll in one easy motion。 she screamed a little as the arrow shifted in her side； but touchstone didn鈥檛 seem to notice。 he threw his head back； roared out an animal…like challenge； and started to run up the road； gathering speed from an ungainly lurch to an inhuman sprint。 froth burst from his lips； blowing out over his chin and onto sabriel。 every vein and muscle in his neck and face corded out； and his eyes went wild with unseeing energy。
he was berserk； and nothing could stop him now； save total dismemberment。 sabriel shivered in his grasp and turned her face into his chest； too disturbed to look on the savage； snorting face that bore so little resemblance to the touchstone she knew。 but at least he was running away from the enemy 。 。 。
on he ran； leaving the road； climbing over the tumbled stones of what had once been a gateway； hardly pausing； jumping from one rock to another with goat…like precision。 his face was as bright red as a fire engine now； the pulse in his neck beating as fast as a hummingbird鈥檚 wings。
sabriel； forgetting her own wound in sudden fear that his heart would burst； started shouting at him； begging him to e out of the rage。
鈥渢ouchstone！ we鈥檙e safe！ put me down！ stop！ please； stop！鈥�
he didn鈥檛 hear her； his whole concentration bent on their path。 through the ruined gateway he ran； on along a walled path； nostrils wide； head darting from side to side like a scentfollowing hound。
鈥渢ouchstone！ touchstone！鈥潯abriel sobbed； beating on his chest with her hands。 鈥渨e鈥檝e got away！ i鈥檓 all right！ stop！ stop！鈥�
still he ran； through another arch； along a raised way； the stones falling away under his feet； down a short stair； jumping gaping holes。 a closed door halted him for a moment； and sabriel breathed a sigh of relief； but he kicked at it viciously； till the rotten wood collapsed and he could back through； carefully shielding sabriel from splinters。
beyond the door was a large； open field； bordered by tumbledown walls。 tall weeds covered the expanse； with the occasional stunted； selfsown tree rising above them。 right at the western edge； perched where a wall had long since crumbled down the hill； there were two paperwings； one facing south and the other north鈥攁nd two people； indistinct silhouettes bordered with the flaming orange of the afternoon sun that was sinking down behind them。
touchstone broke into a gait that could only be described as a gallop； parting the weeds like a ship ploughing a sargasso sea。 he ran right up to the two standing figures； gently placed sabriel on the ground before them鈥攁nd fell over； eyes rolling back to whiteness； limbs twitching。
sabriel tried to crawl over to him； but the pain in her side suddenly bit sharp and deadly； so it was all she could do to sit up and look at the two people； and beyond them； the paperwings。
鈥渉ello；鈥潯hey said； in unison。 鈥渨e are； for the moment； the clayr。 you must be the abhorsen and the king。鈥�
sabriel stared； dry…mouthed。 the sun was in her eyes； making it hard for her to see them clearly。 young women； both； with long blond hair and bright； piercing blue eyes。 they wore white linen dresses； with long； open sleeves。
freshly pressed dresses that made sabriel feel extremely dirty and uncivilized； in her reservoirsoaked breeches and sweaty armor。 like their voices； their faces were identical。 very pretty。
twins。
they smiled； and knelt down； one by sabriel鈥檚 side； the other by touchstone鈥檚。 sabriel felt charter magic slowly welling up in them； like water rising in a spring鈥攖hen it flowed into her； taking away the hurt and pain of the arrow。
next to her； touchstone鈥檚 breath became less labored； and he sank into the easy quiet of sleep。
鈥渢hank you；鈥潯roaked sabriel。 she tried to smile； but seemed to have lost the knack of it。 鈥渢here are slavers 。 。 。 human allies of the dead 。 。 。 behind us。鈥�
鈥渨e know；鈥潯aid the duo。 鈥渂ut they are ten minutes behind。 your friend鈥攖he king鈥攔an very； very fast。 we saw him run yesterday。 or tomorrow。鈥�
鈥渁h；鈥潯aid sabriel； laboriously pushing herself up onto her feet； thinking of her father and what he had said about the clayr confusing their whens。 best to find out what she needed to know before things got really confusing。
鈥渢hank you；鈥潯he said again； for the arrow fell on the ground as she fully straightened up。 it was a hunting arrow； narrow…headed； not an armor…punching bodkin。 they had only meant to slow her down。 she shivered； and felt the hole between the armor plates。 the wound didn鈥檛 feel healed exactly鈥攋ust older； as if it had struck a week ago； instead of minutes。
鈥渇ather said you would be here 。 。 。 that you have been watching for us； and watching for where kerrigor has his body。鈥�
鈥測es；鈥潯eplied the clayr。 鈥渨ell； not us exactly。
we鈥檝e only been allowed to be the clayr today； because we鈥檙e the best paperwing pilots 。 。 。鈥�
鈥渙r actually； ryelle is 。 。 。鈥潯ne of the twins said； pointing at the other。 鈥渂ut since she would need a paperwing to fly home in； two paperwings were needed； so 。 。 。鈥�
鈥渟anar came too；鈥潯yelle continued； pointing back at her sister。
鈥渂oth of us；鈥潯hey chorused。 鈥渘ow； there isn鈥檛 much time。 you can take the red and gold paperwing 。 。 。 we painted it in the royal colors when we knew last week。 but first； there鈥檚 kerrigor鈥檚 body。鈥�
鈥測es；鈥潯aid sabriel。 her father鈥檚鈥攈er family鈥檚鈥敗he kingdom鈥檚 enemy。 for her to deal with。 her burden； no matter how heavy； and how feeble her shoulders currently felt； she had to bear it。
鈥渉is body is in ancelstierre；鈥潯aid the twins。
鈥渂ut our vision is weak across the wall； so we don鈥檛 have a map； or know the place names。
we鈥檒l have to show you鈥攁nd you鈥檒l have to remember。鈥�
鈥測es；鈥潯greed sabriel； feeling like a dull student promising to deal with a question quite beyond her。 鈥測es。鈥�
the clayr nodded； and smiled again。 their teeth were very white and even。 one； possibly ryelle鈥攕abriel had already got them confused鈥敗rought a bottle made of clear green glass out from the flowing sleeve of her robe； the telltale flash of charter magic showing it hadn鈥檛 been there before。 the other woman鈥攕anar鈥敗 roduced a long ivory wand out of her sleeve。
鈥渞eady？鈥潯hey asked each other simultaneously； and； 鈥測es；鈥潯efore their question had even penetrated sabriel鈥檚 tired brain。
ryelle unstoppered the bottle with a resonant 鈥減op；鈥潯nd in one quick motion； poured out the contents along a horizontal line。 sanar； equally quickly； drew the wand across the falling water鈥攁nd it froze in mid…air； to form a pane of transparent ice。 a frozen window； suspended in front of sabriel