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鈥渨e鈥檝e never been able to get our hands on a genuine old kingdom map。 your father had one； but he was the only person who could see anything on it鈥攊t just looked like a square of calfskin to me。 a small magic； he said； but since he couldn鈥檛 teach it； perhaps not so small 。 。 。
anyway； this map is a copy of the latest version of our patrol map； so it only goes out about ten miles from the crossing point。 the garrison standing orders strictly forbid us to go further。
patrols tend not to e back beyond that distance。
maybe they desert； or maybe 。 。 。鈥�
his tone of voice suggested that even nastier things happened to the patrols； but sabriel didn鈥檛 question him。 a small portion of the old kingdom lay spread out on the table and； once again； excitement stirred up within her。
鈥渨e generally go out along the old north road；鈥潯aid horyse； tracing it with one hand； the sword calluses on his fingers rasping across the map； like the soft sandpapering of a master craftsman。 鈥渢hen the patrols sweep back； either south…east or south…west； till they hit the wall。
then they follow that back to the gate。鈥�
鈥渨hat does this symbol mean？鈥潯sked sabriel； pointing to a blacked…in square atop one of the farther hills。
鈥渢hat鈥檚 a charter stone；鈥潯eplied the colonel。
鈥渙r part of one now。 it was riven in two； as if struck by lightning； a month or so ago。 the patrols have started to call it cloven crest； and they avoid it if possible。 its true name is barhedrin hill and the stone once carried the charter for a village of the same name。 before my time； anyway。 if the village still exists it must be further north； beyond the reach of our patrols。 we鈥檝e never had any reports of inhabitants from it ing south to cloven crest。 the fact is； we have few reports of people； fullstop。
the garrison log used to show considerable interaction with old kingdom people鈥攆armers； merchants； travelers and so on鈥攂ut encounters have bee rarer over the last hundred years； and very rare in the last twenty。 the patrols would be lucky to see even two or three people a year now。 real people that is； not creatures or free magic constructs； or the dead。 we see far too many of those。鈥�
鈥渋 don鈥檛 understand；鈥潯uttered sabriel。 鈥渇ather often used to talk of villages and towns 。 。 。 even cities； in the old kingdom。 i remember some of them from my childhood 。 。 。 well； i sort of remember 。 。 。 i think。鈥�
鈥渇urther into the old kingdom； certainly；鈥�
replied the colonel。 鈥渢he records mention quite a few names of towns and cities。 we know that the people up there call the area around the wall 鈥榯he borderlands。鈥櫋nd they don鈥檛 say it with any fondness。鈥�
sabriel didn鈥檛 answer； bending her head lower over the map； thinking about the journey that lay ahead of her。 cloven crest might be a good waypoint。 it was no more than eight miles away； so she should be able to ski there before nightfall if she left fairly soon； and if it wasn鈥檛 snowing too hard across the wall。 a broken charter stone did not bode well； but there would be some magic there and the path into death would be easier to tread。 charter stones were often erected where free magic flowed and crossroads of the free magic currents were often natural doorways into the realm of death。 sabriel felt a shiver inch up her spine at the thought of what might use such a doorway and the tremor passed through to her fingers on the map。
she looked up suddenly； and saw colonel horyse looking at her long； pale hands； the heavy paper of the map still shuddering at her touch。 with an effort of will； she stilled the movement。
鈥渋 have a daughter almost your age；鈥潯e said quietly。 鈥渂ack in corvere； with my wife。 i would not let her cross into the old kingdom。鈥�
sabriel met his gaze； and her eyes were not the uncertain； flickering beacons of adolescence。
鈥渋 am only eighteen years old on the outside；鈥�
she said； touching her palm against her breast with an almost wistful motion。 鈥渂ut i first walked in death when i was twelve。 i encountered a fifth gate rester when i was fourteen； and banished it beyond the ninth gate。 when i was sixteen i stalked and banished a mordicant that came near the school。 a weakened mordicant； but still 。 。 。 a year ago； i turned the final page of the book of the dead。 i don鈥檛 feel young anymore。鈥�
鈥渋 am sorry for that；鈥潯aid the colonel； then； almost as if he had surprised himself； he added； 鈥渁h； i mean that i wish you some of the foolish joys my daughter has鈥攕ome of the lightness； the lack of responsibility that goes with youth。 but i don鈥檛 wish it if it will weaken you in the times ahead。 you have chosen a difficult path。鈥�
鈥溾�榙oes the walker choose the path； or the path the walker？鈥欌�潯abriel quoted； the words； redolent with echoes of charter magic； twining around her tongue like some lingering spice。 those words were the dedication in the front of her almanac。
they were also the very last words； all alone on the last page； of the book of the dead。
鈥渋鈥檝e heard that before；鈥潯emarked horyse。
鈥渨hat does it mean？鈥�
鈥渋 don鈥檛 know；鈥潯aid sabriel。
鈥渋t holds power when you say it；鈥潯dded the colonel slowly。 he swallowed； open…mouthed； as if the taste of the charter marks was still in the air。 鈥渋f i spoke those words； that鈥檚 all they would be。 just words。鈥�
鈥渋 can鈥檛 explain it。鈥潯abriel shrugged； and attempted a smile。 鈥渂ut i do know other sayings that are more to the point at the moment； like： 鈥榯raveler； embrace the morning light； but do not take the hand of night。鈥櫋 must be on my way。鈥�
horyse smiled at the old rhyme； so beloved of grandmothers and nannies； but it was an empty smile。 his eyes slid a little away from sabriel鈥檚 and she knew that he was thinking about refusing to let her cross the wall。 then he sighed； the short； huffy sigh of a man who is forced into a course of action through lack of alternatives。
鈥測our papers are in order；鈥潯e said； meeting her gaze once again。 鈥渁nd you are the daughter of abhorsen。 i cannot do other than let you pass。
but i can鈥檛 help feeling that i am thrusting you out to meet some terrible danger。 i can鈥檛 even send a patrol out with you； since we have five full patrols already out there。鈥�
鈥渋 expected to go alone；鈥潯eplied sabriel。 she had expected that； but felt a tinge of regret。 a protective group of soldiers would be quite a fort。 the fear of being alone in a strange and dangerous land； even if it was her homeland； was only just below the level of her excitement。
it wouldn鈥檛 take much for the fear to rise over it。
and always； there was the picture of her father in her mind。 her father in trouble； trapped and alone in the chill waters of death 。 。 。
鈥渧ery well；鈥潯aid horyse。 鈥渟ergeant！鈥�
a helmeted head appeared suddenly around the doorway； and sabriel realized two soldiers must have been standing on guard outside the dugout； on the steps up into the munication trench。 she wondered if they鈥檇 heard。
鈥減repare a crossing party；鈥潯napped horyse。
鈥渁 single person to cross。 miss abhorsen； here。
and sergeant； if you or private ra