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the river flowed around her legs； cold as always。 the light； grey and without warmth； still stretched to an entirely flat horizon。 in the distance； she could hear the roar of the first gate。 she could see the creature鈥檚 true shape clearly now； not wrapped in the aura of death which it carried to the living world。 it was an old kingdom denizen； vaguely humanoid； but more like an ape than a man and obviously only semi…intelligent。 but there was more to it than that； and sabriel felt the clutch of fear as she saw the black thread that came from the creature鈥檚 back and ran into the river。
somewhere； beyond the first gate； or even further； that umbilical rested in the hands of an adept。 as long as the thread existed the creature would be totally under the control of its master； who could use its senses and spirit as it saw fit。
something tugged at sabriel鈥檚 physical body； and she reluctantly twitched her senses back to the living world； a slight feeling of nausea rising in her as a wave of warmth rushed over her death…chilled body。
鈥渨hat is it？鈥潯aid a calm voice； close to sabriel鈥檚 ear。 an old voice； tinged with the power of charter magic鈥攎iss greenwood； the magistrix of the school。
鈥渋t鈥檚 a dead servant鈥攁 spirit form；鈥潯eplied sabriel； her attention back on the creature。 it was halfway down the dorm； still single…mindedly rolling one leg after the other。 鈥渨ithout free will。
something sent it back to the living world。 it鈥檚 controlled from beyond the first gate。鈥�
鈥渨hy is it here？鈥潯sked the magistrix。 her voice sounded calm； but sabriel felt the charter symbols gathering in her voice； forming on her tongue鈥攕ymbols that would unleash lightning and flame； the destructive powers of the earth。
鈥渋t鈥檚 not obviously malign； nor has it attempted any actual harm 。 。 。鈥潯eplied sabriel slowly； her mind working over the possibilities。 she was used to explaining purely necromantic aspects of magic to miss greenwood。 the magistrix had taught her charter magic； but necromancy was definitely not on the syllabus。 sabriel had learned more than she wanted to know about necromancy from her father 。 。 。 and the dead themselves。
鈥渄on鈥檛 do anything for a moment。 i will attempt to speak with it。鈥�
the cold washed over her again； biting into her； as the river gushed around her legs； eager to pull her over and carry her away。 sabriel exerted her will； and the cold became simply a sensation； without danger； the current merely a pleasing vibration about the feet。
the creature was close now； as it was in the living world。 sabriel held out both her hands； and clapped； the sharp sound echoing for longer than it would anywhere else。 before the echo died； sabriel whistled several notes； and they echoed too； sweet sounds within the harshness of the handclap。
the thing flinched at the sound and stepped back； putting both hands to its ears。 as it did so； it dropped the sack。 sabriel started in surprise。
she hadn鈥檛 noticed the sack before； possibly because she hadn鈥檛 expected it to be there。 very few inanimate things existed in both realms； the living and the dead。
she was even more surprised as the creature suddenly bent forward and plunged into the water； hands searching for the sack。 it found it almost at once； but not without losing its footing。 as the sack surfaced； the current forced the creature under。 sabriel breathed a sigh of relief as she saw it slide away； then gasped as its head broke the surface and it cried out： 鈥渟abriel！ my messenger！ take the sack！鈥潯he voice was abhorsen鈥檚。
sabriel ran forward and an arm pushed out towards her； the neck of the sack clutched in its fingers。 she reached out； missed； then tried again。 the sack was secure in her grasp； as the current took the creature pletely under。
sabriel looked after it； hearing the roar of the first gate suddenly increase as it always did when someone passed its falls。 she turned and started to slog back against the current to a point where she could easily return to life。 the sack in her hand was heavy and there was a leaden feeling in her stomach。 if the messenger was truly abhorsen鈥檚； then he himself was unable to return to the realm of the living。
and that meant he was either dead； or trapped by something that should have passed beyond the final gate。
once again； a wave of nausea overcame her and sabriel fell to her knees； shaking。 she could feel the magistrix鈥檚 hand on her shoulder； but her attention was fastened on the sack she held in her hand。 she didn鈥檛 need to look to know that the creature was gone。 its manifestation into the living world had ceased as its spirit had gone past the first gate。 only a pile of grave mold would remain； to be swept aside in the morning。
鈥渨hat did you do？鈥潯sked the magistrix； as sabriel brushed her hands through her hair； ice crystals falling from her hands onto the sack that lay in front of her knees。
鈥渋t had a message for me；鈥潯eplied sabriel。 鈥渟o i took it。鈥�
she opened the sack； and reached inside。 a sword hilt met her grasp； so she drew it out； still scabbarded； and put it to one side。 she didn鈥檛 need to draw it to see the charter symbols etched along its blade鈥攖he dull emerald in the pommel and the worn bronze…plated crossguard were as familiar to her as the school鈥檚 uninspired cutlery。 it was abhorsen鈥檚 sword。
the leather bandolier she drew out next was an old brown belt； a hand鈥檚…breadth wide； which always smelled faintly of beeswax。 seven tubular leather pouches hung from it； starting with one the size of a small pill bottle； growing larger； till the seventh was almost the size of a jar。 the bandolier was designed to be worn across the chest； with the pouches hanging down。 sabriel opened the smallest and pulled out a tiny silver bell； with a dark； deeply polished mahogany handle。 she held it gently； but the clapper still swung slightly； and the bell made a high； sweet note that somehow lingered in the mind； even after the sound was gone。
鈥渇ather鈥檚 instruments；鈥潯hispered sabriel。
鈥渢he tools of a necromancer。鈥�
鈥渂ut there are charter marks engraved on the bell 。 。 。 and the handle！鈥潯nterjected the magistrix； who was looking down with fascination。
鈥渘ecromancy is free magic； not governed by the charter 。 。 。鈥�
鈥渇ather鈥檚 was different；鈥潯eplied sabriel distantly； still staring at the bell she held in her hand； thinking of her father鈥檚 brown； lined hands holding the bells。 鈥渂inding； not raising。 he was a faithful servant of the charter。鈥�
鈥測ou鈥檙e going to be leaving us； aren鈥檛 you？鈥�
the magistrix said suddenly； as sabriel replaced the bell and stood up； sword in one hand； bandolier in the other。 鈥渋 just saw it； in the reflection of the bell。 you were crossing the wall 。 。 。鈥�
鈥測es。 into the old kingdom；鈥潯aid sabriel； with sudden realization。 鈥渟omething has happened to father 。 。 。 but i鈥檒l find him 。 。 。 so i swear by the charter i bear。鈥�
she touched the charter mark on her forehead； which glowed briefly； and then faded so that it might never have been。 the magistrix nodded and touched a hand to her own forehead； where a glowing mark suddenly obscured all the patterns of time。 as it faded； rustling noises and faint whimpers began to sound along both sides of the dormitory。
鈥渋鈥檒l shut the door and explain to the girls；鈥潯he magistrix said firmly。 鈥測ou鈥檇 better go and 。 。 。
prepare for tomorrow。鈥�
sabriel nodded and left； trying to fix her mind on the practicalities of the journey； rather than on what could have happened to her father。
she would take a cab as early as possible into bain； the nearest town； and then a bus to the ancelstierre perimeter that faced the wall。 with luck； she would be there by early afternoon 。 。 。
behind these plans； her thoughts kept jumping back to abhorsen。 what could have happened to trap him in death？ and what could she really hope to do about it； even if she did get to the old kingdom？
w锛穡锛氾紵
chapter ii
脳灏徝楄脳t脳脳xt脳澶┟楀爞
the perimeter in ancelstierre ran from coast to coast； parallel to the wall and perhaps half a mile from it。 concertina wire lay lik