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the echoes from mosrael faded； and in that silence； the pommel struck on something that thudded hollowly； rather than throwing sparks and jarring her hand。 something wooden； something that hadn鈥檛 been there before。 a door； tall and strangely narrow； its dark oak lined with silver charter marks dancing through the grain。 an iron ring； exactly at hand height； touched sabriel鈥檚 hip。
sabriel dropped her sword with a gasp； grabbed the ring； and pulled。 nothing happened。
sabriel tugged again； half…turning to look over her shoulder； almost cringing at what she would see。
the mordicant turned the last corner and its eyes met hers。 sabriel shut them； unable to bear the hatred and bloodlust glowing in its gaze like a poker left too long in the forge。 it howled again and almost flowed up the remaining steps； flames dripping from its mouth； claws and feet。
sabriel； eyes still closed； pushed on the ring。
the door flew open and she fell in； crashing to the ground in a flurry of snow； eyes snapping open。 desperately； she twisted herself around on the ground； ignoring the pain in her knees and hands。 reaching back outside； she snagged the hilt of her sword and snatched it in。
as the blade cleared the doorway； the mordicant reached it； and twisting itself side… ways to pass the narrow portal； thrust an arm inside。 flames boiled from its grey…green flesh； like beads of sweat； and small plumes of black smoke spiraled from the flames； bringing with them a stench like burning hair。
sabriel； sprawled defenseless on the floor； could only stare in terror as the thing鈥檚 four…taloned hand slowly opened and reached out for her。
chapter vii
灏�*璇�**t*xt**澶�*鍫�
but the hand didn鈥檛 close； the talons failed to rend defenseless flesh。
instead； sabriel felt a sudden surge of charter magic and charter marks flared around the door； blazing so brightly that they left red after…images at the back of her eyes； black dots dancing across her vision。
blinking； she saw a man step out from the stones of the wall； a tall and obviously strong man； with a longsword the twin of sabriel鈥檚 own。
this sword came whistling down on the mordicant鈥檚 arm； biting out a chunk of burning marsh…rotten flesh。 rebounding； the sword flicked back again； and hewed another slice； like an axeman sending chips flying from a tree。
the mordicant howled； more in anger than in pain鈥攂ut it withdrew the arm and the stranger threw himself against the door； slamming it shut with the full weight of his mail…clad body。
curiously for mail； it made no sound； no jangling from the flow of hundreds of steel links。 a strange body under it too； sabriel saw； as the black dots and the red wash faded； revealing that her rescuer wasn鈥檛 human at all。 he had seemed solid enough； but every square inch of him was defined by tiny； constantly moving charter marks； and sabriel could see nothing between them but empty air。
he 。 。 。 it was a charter…ghost； a sending。
outside； the mordicant howled again； like a steam train venting pressure； then the whole corridor shook and hinges screeched in protest as the thing threw itself against the door。 wood splintered and clouds of thick grey dust fell from the ceiling； mocking the falling snow outside。
the sending turned to face sabriel and offered its hand to help her up。 sabriel took it； looking up at it as her tired； frozen legs struggled to make a tenth…round eback。 close to； the illusion of flesh was imperfect； fluid and unsettling。 its face wouldn鈥檛 stay fixed； migrating between scores of possibilities。 some were women； some were men鈥攂ut all bore tough； petent visages。 its body and clothing changed slightly； too； with every face； but two details always remained the same； a black surcoat with the blazon of a silver key； and a longsword redolent with charter magic。
鈥渢hank you；鈥潯abriel said nervously； flinching as the mordicant pounded the door again。
鈥渃an 。 。 。 do you think that 。 。 。 will it get through？鈥�
the sending nodded grimly； and let go her hand to point up the long corridor； but it did not speak。
sabriel turned her head to follow its pointing hand and saw a dark passage that rose up into darkness。 charter marks illuminated where they stood； but faded only a little way on。 despite this； the darkness seemed friendly； and she could almost taste the charter…spells that rode on the corridor鈥檚 dusty air。
鈥渋 must go on？鈥潯sked sabriel； as it pointed again； more urgently。 the sending nodded； and flapped its hand backwards and forwards； indicating haste。 behind him； another crashing blow caused another great billow of dust； and the door sounded as if it was weakening。 once again； the vile； burnt smell of the mordicant wafted through the air。
the doorkeeper wrinkled its nose and gave sabriel a bit of a push in the right direction； like a parent urging a reluctant child to press on。 but sabriel needed no urging。 her fear was still burning in her。 momentarily extinguished by the rescue； the smell of the mordicant was all it needed to blaze again。 she set her face upwards and started to walk quickly； into the passage。
she looked back after a few yards； to see the doorkeeper waiting near the door； its sword at the guard position。 beyond it； the door was bulging in； iron…bound planks bursting； breaking around a hole as big as a dinner plate。
the mordicant reached in and broke off more planks； as easily as it might snap toothpicks。 it was obviously furious that its prey was getting away； for it burned all over now。 yellow…red flames vomited from its mouth in a vile torrent； and black smoke rose like a second shadow around it； eddying in crazy circles as it howled。
sabriel looked away； setting off at a fast walk； but the walk grew faster and faster； became a jog and then a run。 her feet pounded on the stone； but it wasn鈥檛 until she was almost sprinting； that she realized why she could鈥攈er pack and skis were still back at the lower door。 for a moment； she was struck with a nervous inclination to go back； but it passed before it even became conscious thought。 even so； her hands checked scabbard and bandolier； and gained reassurance from the cool metal of sword hilt and the handsmoothed wood of the bell handles。
it was light too； she realized as she ran。 charter marks ran in the stone； keeping pace with her。
charter marks for light and for fleetness； and for many other things she didn鈥檛 know。 strange marks and many of them鈥攕o many that sabriel wondered how she could have ever thought that a first in magic from an ancelstierran school would make her a great mage in the old kingdom。 fear and realization of ignorance were strong medicines against stupid pride。
another howl came racing up the passage and echoed onwards； acpanied by many crashes； and thuds or clangs of steel striking supernatural flesh； or ricocheting off stone。
sabriel didn鈥檛 need to look back to know the mordicant had broken through the door and was now fighting the doorkeeper鈥攐r pushing past him。 sabriel knew little of such sendings； but a mon failing with the sentinel variety was an inability to leave their post。 once the creature got a few feet past the doorkeeper； the sending would be useless鈥攁nd one great charge would soon get the mordicant past。
that thought gave her another burst of speed； but sabriel knew that it was the last。 her body； pushed by fear and weakened by cold and exertion； was on the edge of failure。 her legs felt stiff； muscles ready to cramp； and her lungs seemed to bubble with fluid rather than air。
ahead； the corridor seemed to go on and on； sloping ever upwards。 but the light only shone where sabriel ran； so perhaps the exit might not be too far ahead； perhaps just past the next little patch of darkness 。 。 。
even as this thought passed through her mind； sabriel saw a glow that sharpened into the bright tracing of a doorway。 she half gasped； half cried out； both slight human noises drowned out by the unholy； inhuman screech of the mordicant。 it was past the doorkeeper。
at the same time； sabriel became aware of a new sound ahead； a sound she had initially thought was the throb of blood in her ears； the pounding of a racing heart。 but it was o