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she snatched the towel back from it and tried to finish the job herself； but the sending counterattacked by bing her hair； causing another minor tussle。 eventually； between the two of them； sabriel shrugged on the underdress and surcoat； and submitted to a manicure and vigorous hair…brushing。
she was admiring the tiny； repeated silver key motif on the black surcoat in the mirror that backed one of the window…shutters； when a gong sounded somewhere else in the house and the servant…sending opened the door。 a split second later； mogget raced through； with a cry that sabriel thought was 鈥渄inner！鈥潯he followed； rather more sedately； the sending closing the door behind her。
dinner was in the main hall of the house。 a long； stately room that took up half the ground floor； it was dominated by the floor to ceiling stained…glass window at the western end。 the window showed a scene from the building of the wall and； like many other things around the house； was heavily laden with charter magic。
perhaps there was no real glass in it at all； sabriel mused； as she watched the light of the evening sun play in and around the toiling figures that were building the wall。 as with the sendings； if you looked closely enough you could see tiny charter marks making up the patterns。
it was hard to see through the window； but judging from the sun； it was almost dusk。 sabriel realized she must have slept for a full day； or possibly even two。
a table nearly as long as the hall stretched away from her鈥攁 brightly polished table of some light and lustrous timber； heavily laden with silver salt cellars； candelabra and rather fantastic…looking decanters and covered dishes。
but only two places were fully set； with a plethora of knives； forks； spoons and other instruments； which sabriel only recognized from obscure drawings in her etiquette textbook。
she鈥檇 never seen a real golden straw for sucking the innards out of a pomegranate before； for example。
one place was before a high…backed chair at the head of the table and the other was to the left of this； in front of a cushioned stool。 sabriel wondered which was hers； till mogget jumped up on the stool and said； 鈥渆 on！ they won鈥檛 serve till you鈥檙e seated。鈥�
鈥渢hey鈥潯ere more sendings。 half a dozen in all； including the cream…dressed tyrant of the bedroom。 they were all basically the same； human in shape； but cowled or veiled。 only their hands were visible； and these were almost transparent； as if charter marks had been lightly etched on prosthetic hands carved from moonstone。
the sendings stood grouped around a door鈥攖he kitchen door； for sabriel saw fires beyond them； and smelled the tang of cooking鈥敗 nd stared at her。 it was rather unnerving； not to meet any eyes。
鈥測es； that鈥檚 her；鈥潯ogget said caustically。
鈥測our new mistress。 now let鈥檚 have dinner。鈥�
none of the sendings moved； till sabriel stepped forward。 they stepped forward； too； and all dropped to one knee； or whatever supported them beneath the floor…length robes。 each held out their pale right hand； charter marks running bright trails around their palms and fingers。
sabriel stared for a moment； but it was clear they offered their services； or loyalty； and expected her to do something in return。 she walked to them and gently pressed each upthrust hand in turn； feeling the charter…spells that made them whole。 mogget had spoken truly； for some of the spells were old； far older than sabriel could guess。
鈥渋 thank you；鈥潯he said slowly。 鈥渙n behalf of my father； and for the kindness you have shown me。鈥�
this seemed to be appropriate； or enough to be going on with。 the sendings stood； bowed and went about their business。 the one in the cream habit pulled out sabriel鈥檚 chair and placed her napkin as she sat。 it was of crisp black linen； dusted with tiny silver keys； a miracle of needlework。
mogget； sabriel noticed； had a plain white napkin； with evidence of old stains。
鈥渋鈥檝e had to eat in the kitchen for the last two weeks；鈥潯ogget said sourly； as two sendings approached from the kitchen； bearing plates that signaled their arrival with a tantalizing odor of spices and hot food。
鈥渋 expect it was good for you；鈥潯abriel replied brightly； taking a mouthful of wine。 it was a fruity； dry white wine； though sabriel hadn鈥檛 developed a palate to know whether it was good or merely indifferent。 it was certainly drinkable。
her first major experiments with alcohol lay several years behind her； enshrined in memory as significant occasions shared with two of her closest friends。 none of the three could ever drink brandy again； but sabriel had started to enjoy wine with her meals。
鈥渁nyway； how did you know i was ing？鈥�
sabriel asked。 鈥渋 didn鈥檛 know myself； till 。 。 。 till father sent his message。鈥�
the cat didn鈥檛 answer at once； his attention focused on the plate of fish the sending had just put down鈥攕mall； almost circular fish； with the bright eyes and shiny scales of the freshly caught。
sabriel had them too； but hers were grilled； with a tomato； garlic and basil sauce。
鈥渋 have served ten times as many of your forebears as you have years；鈥潯ogget replied at last。
鈥渁nd though my powers wane with the ebb of time； i always know when one abhorsen falls and another takes their place。鈥�
sabriel swallowed her last mouthful； all taste gone； and put down her fork。 she took a mouthful of wine to clear her throat； but it seemed to have bee vinegar； making her cough。
鈥渨hat do you mean by 鈥榝all鈥櫍俊hat do you know？ what has happened to father？鈥�
mogget looked up at sabriel； eyes half…lidded； meeting her gaze steadily； as no normal cat could。
鈥渉e is dead； sabriel。 even if he hasn鈥檛 passed the final gate； he will walk in life no more。 that is鈥斺��
鈥渘o；鈥潯nterrupted sabriel。 鈥渉e can鈥檛 be！ he cannot be。 he is a necromancer 。 。 。 he can鈥檛 be dead 。 。 。鈥�
鈥渢hat is why he sent the sword and bells to you； as his aunt sent them to him； in her time；鈥�
mogget continued； ignoring sabriel鈥檚 outburst。
鈥渁nd he was not a necromancer； he was abhorsen。鈥�
鈥渋 don鈥檛 understand；鈥潯abriel whispered。 she couldn鈥檛 face mogget鈥檚 eyes anymore。 鈥渋 don鈥檛 know 。 。 。 i don鈥檛 know enough。 about anything。
the old kingdom； charter magic； even my own father。 why do you say his name as if it were a title？鈥�
鈥渋t is。 he was the abhorsen。 now you are。鈥�
sabriel digested this in silence； staring at the swirls of fish and sauce on her plate； silver scales and red tomato blurring into a pattern of swords and fire。 the table blurred too； and the room beyond； and she felt herself reaching for the border with death。 but try as she might； she couldn鈥檛 cross it。 she sensed it； but there was no way to cross； in either direction鈥攁bhorsen鈥檚 house was too well protected。 but she did feel something at the border。 inimical things lurked there； waiting for her to cross； but there was also the faintest thread of something familiar； like the scent of a woman鈥檚 perfume after she has left the room； or the waft of a particular pipe tobacco around a corner。 sabriel focused on it and threw herself once more at the barrier that separated her from death。
only to ricochet back to life； as sharp claws pricked her arm。 her eyes snapped open； blinking off flakes of frost； to see mogget； fur bristling； one paw ready to strike again。
鈥渇ool！鈥潯e hissed。 鈥測ou are the only one who can break the wards of this house and they wait for you to do so！鈥�
sabriel stared at the angry cat； unseeing； biting back a sharp and proud retort as she realized the truth in mogget鈥檚 words。 there were dead spirits waiting； and probably the mordicant would cross as well鈥攁nd she would have faced them alone and weaponless。
鈥渋鈥檓 sorry；鈥潯he muttered； bowing her head into two frosted hands。 she hadn鈥檛 felt this stupidly awful since she鈥檇 burned one of the headmistress鈥檚 rose bushes with an uncontrolled charter…spell； narrowly missing the school鈥檚 ancient and much…loved gardener。 she had cried then； but she was older now； and could keep the tears at bay。
鈥渇ather is not yet truly dead；鈥潯he said； after a