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h； and threw her from him。 she landed； squalling； and was instantly caught up in the flow of the river； but abhorsen lunged forward； snatching her from both the river and kerrigor鈥檚 grasping hands。
stepping back； he drew the silver bell onehanded； and swung it so it sounded twice。 the sound was curiously muffled； but true； and the clear chime hung in the air； fresh and cutting； alive。 kerrigor flinched at the sound； and fell backwards to the darkness that was the gate。
鈥渟ome fool will soon bring me back； and then 。 。 。鈥潯e cried out； as the river took him under。 the waters swirled and gurgled and then resumed their steady flow。
abhorsen stared at the gate for a time； then sighed and； placing the bell back in his belt； looked at the baby held in his arm。 she stared back at him； dark eyes matching his own。
already； the color had been drained from her skin。 nervously； abhorsen laid a hand across the brand on her forehead and felt the glow of her spirit within。 the charter mark had kept her life contained when the river should have drained it。 it was her life…spirit that had so burned kerrigor。
she smiled up at him and gurgled a little； and abhorsen felt a smile tilting the corner of his own mouth。 still smiling； he turned； and began the long wade back up the river； to the gate that would return them both to their living flesh。
the baby wailed a scant second before abhorsen opened his eyes； so that the midwife was already halfway around the dying fire； ready to pick her up。 frost crackled on the ground and icicles hung from abhorsen鈥檚 nose。 he wiped them off with a sleeve and leaned over the child； much as any anxious father does after a birth。
鈥渉ow is the babe？鈥潯e asked； and the midwife stared at him wonderingly； for the dead child was now loudly alive and as deathly white as he。
鈥渁s you hear； lord；鈥潯he answered。 鈥渟he is very well。 it is perhaps a little cold for her鈥斺��
he gestured at the fire and spoke a word； and it roared into life； the frost melting at once； the raindrops sizzling into steam。
鈥渢hat will do till morning；鈥潯aid abhorsen。
鈥渢hen i shall take her to my house。 i shall have need of a nurse。will you e？鈥�
the midwife hesitated； and looked to the charter mage； who still lingered on the far side of the fire。 he refused to meet her glance and she looked down once more at the little girl bawling in her arms。
鈥測ou are 。 。 。 you are 。 。 。鈥潯hispered the midwife。
鈥渁 necromancer？鈥潯aid abhorsen。 鈥渙nly of a sort。 i loved the woman who lies here。 she would have lived if she had loved another； but she did not。 sabriel is our child。 can you not see the kinship？鈥�
the midwife looked at him as he leant forward and took sabriel from her； rocking her on his chest。 the baby quietened and； in a few seconds； was asleep。
鈥測es；鈥潯aid the midwife。 鈥渋 shall e with you； and look after sabriel。 but you must find a wet…nurse 。 。 。鈥�
鈥渁nd i daresay much else besides；鈥潯used abhorsen。 鈥渂ut my house is not a place for鈥斺��
the charter mage cleared his throat； and moved around the fire。
鈥渋f you seek a man who knows a little of the charter；鈥潯e said hesitantly； 鈥渋 should wish to serve； for i have seen its work in you； lord； though i am loath to leave my fellow wanderers。鈥�
鈥減erhaps you will not have to；鈥潯eplied abhorsen； smiling at a sudden thought。 鈥渋 wonder if your leader will object to two new members joining her band。 for my work means i must travel； and there is no part of the kingdom that has not felt the imprint of my feet。鈥�
鈥測our work？鈥潯sked the man； shivering a little； though it was no longer cold。
鈥測es；鈥潯aid abhorsen。 鈥渋 am a necromancer； but not of the mon kind。 where others of the art raise the dead； i lay them back to rest。 and those that will not rest； i bind鈥攐r try to。 i am abhorsen 。 。 。鈥�
he looked at the baby again； and added； almost with a note of surprise； 鈥渇ather of sabriel。鈥�
w w w。 xiao shuotxt。 co m
chapter 1
灏忥伎璇磘xt澶�/鍫�
the rabbit had been run over minutes before。 its pink eyes were glazed and blood stained its clean white fur。 unnaturally clean fur； for it had just escaped from a bath。 it still smelt faintly of lavender water。
a tall； curiously pale young woman stood over the rabbit。 her night…black hair； fashionably bobbed； was hanging slightly over her face。
she wore no makeup or jewelry； save for an enamelled school badge pinned to her regulation navy blazer。 that； coupled with her long skirt； stockings and sensible shoes； identified her as a schoolgirl。 a nameplate under the badge read 鈥渟abriel鈥潯nd the roman 鈥渧i鈥潯nd gilt crown proclaimed her to be both a member of the sixth form and a prefect。
the rabbit was； unquestionably； dead。 sabriel looked up from it and back along the bricked drive that left the road and curved up to an imposing pair of wrought…iron gates。 a sign above the gate； in gilt letters of mock gothic； announced that they were the gates to wyverley college。 smaller letters added that the school was 鈥渆stablished in for young ladies of quality。鈥�
a small figure was busy climbing over the gate； nimbly avoiding the spikes that were supposed to stop such activities。 she dropped the last few feet and started running； her pigtails flying； shoes clacking on the bricks。 her head was down to gain momentum； but as cruising speed was established； she looked up； saw sabriel and the dead rabbit； and screamed。
鈥渂unny！鈥�
sabriel flinched as the girl screamed； hesitated for a moment； then bent down by the rabbit鈥檚 side and reached out with one pale hand to touch it between its long ears。 her eyes closed and her face set as if she had suddenly turned to stone。 a faint whistling sound came from her slightly parted lips； like the wind heard from far away。 frost formed on her fingertips and rimed the asphalt beneath her feet and knees。
the other girl； running； saw her suddenly tip forward over the rabbit； and topple towards the road； but at the last minute her hand came out and she caught herself。 a second later； she had regained her balance and was using both hands to restrain the rabbit鈥攁 rabbit now inexplicably lively again； its eyes bright and shiny； as eager to be off as when it escaped from its bath。
鈥渂unny！鈥潯hrieked the younger girl again； as sabriel stood up； holding the rabbit by the scruff of its neck。 鈥渙h； thank you； sabriel！ when i heard the car skidding i thought 。 。 。鈥�
she faltered as sabriel handed the rabbit over and blood stained her expectant hands。
鈥渉e鈥檒l be fine； jacinth；鈥潯abriel replied wearily。
鈥渁 scratch。 it鈥檚 already closed up。鈥�
jacinth examined bunny carefully； then looked up at sabriel； the beginnings of a wriggling fear showing at the back of her eyes。
鈥渢here isn鈥檛 anything under the blood；鈥潯tammered jacinth。 鈥渨hat did you 。 。 。鈥�
鈥渋 didn鈥檛；鈥潯napped sabriel。 鈥渂ut perhaps you can tell me what you are doing out of bounds？鈥�
鈥渃hasing bunny；鈥潯eplied jacinth； her eyes clearing as life reverted to a more normal situation。
鈥測ou see 。 。 。鈥�
鈥渘o excuses；鈥潯ecited sabriel。 鈥渞emember what mrs。 umbrade said at assembly on monday。鈥�
鈥渋t鈥檚 not an excuse；鈥潯nsisted jacinth。 鈥渋t鈥檚 a reason。鈥�
鈥測ou can explain it to mrs。 umbrade then。鈥�
鈥渙h； sabriel！ you wouldn鈥檛！ you know i was only chasing bunny。 i鈥檇 never have e out鈥斺��
sabriel held up her hands in mock defeat； and gestured back to the gates。
鈥渋f you鈥檙e back inside within three minutes； i won鈥檛 have seen you。 and open the gate this time。 they won鈥檛 be locked till i go back inside。鈥�
jacinth smiled； her whole face beaming； whirled around and sped back up the drive； bunny clutched against her neck。 sabriel watched till she had gone through the gate； then let the tremors take her till she was bent over； shaking with cold。 a moment of weakness and she had broken the promise she had made both to herself and her father。 it was only a rabbit and jacinth did love it so much鈥攂ut what would that lead to？ it was no great step from bringing back a rabbit to bringing back a person。
worse； it had been so easy。 she had caught