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ablished 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 the spirit right at the wellspring of the river； and had returned it with barely a gesture of power； patching the body with simple charter symbols as they stepped from death to life。 she hadn鈥檛 even needed bells； or the other apparatus of a necromancer。
only a whistle and her will。
death and what came after death was no great mystery to sabriel。 she just wished it was。
it was sabriel鈥檚 last term at wyverley鈥攖he last three weeks； in fact。 she had graduated already； ing first in english； equal first in music； third in mathematics； seventh in science； second in fighting arts and fourth in etiquette。 she had also been a runaway first in magic； but that wasn鈥檛 printed on the certificate。 magic only worked in those regions of ancelstierre close to the wall which marked the border with the old kingdom。 farther away； it was considered to be quite beyond the pale； if it existed at all； and persons of repute did not mention it。
wyverley college was only forty miles from the wall； had a good all…round reputation； and taught magic to those students who could obtain special permission from their parents。
sabriel鈥檚 father had chosen it for that reason when he had emerged from the old kingdom with a five…year…old girl in tow to seek a boarding school。 he had paid in advance for that first year； in old kingdom silver deniers that stood up to surreptitious touches with cold iron。
thereafter； he had e to visit his daughter twice a year； at midsummer and midwinter； staying for several days on each occasion and always bringing more silver。
understandably； the headmistress was very fond of sabriel。 particularly since she never seemed troubled by her father鈥檚 rare visitations； as most other girls would be。 once mrs。
umbrade had asked sabriel if she minded； and had been troubled by the answer that sabriel saw her father far more often than when he was actually there。 mrs。 umbrade didn鈥檛 teach magic； and didn鈥檛 want to know any more about it other than the pleasant fact that some parents would pay considerable sums to have their daughters schooled in the basics of sorcery and enchantment。
mrs。 umbrade certainly didn鈥檛 want to know how sabriel saw her father。 sabriel； on the other hand； always looked forward to his unofficial visits and watched the moon； tracing its movements from the leather…bound almanac which listed the phases of the moon in both kingdoms and gave valuable insights into the seasons； tides and other ephemerae that were never the same at any one time on both sides of the wall。
abhorsen鈥檚 sending of himself always appeared at the dark of the moon。
on these nights； sabriel would lock herself into her study （a privilege of the sixth form鈥敗reviously she鈥檇 had to sneak into the library）； put the kettle on the fire； drink tea and read a book until the characteristic wind rose up； extinguished the fire； put out the electric light and rattled the shutters鈥攁ll necessary preparations； it seemed； for her father鈥檚 phosphorescent sending to appear in the spare armchair。
sabriel was particularly looking forward to her father鈥檚 visit that november。 it would be his last； because college was about to end and she wanted to discuss her future。 mrs。 umbrade wanted her to go to university； but that meant moving further away from the old kingdom。 her magic would wane and parental visitations would be limited to actual physical appearances； and those might well bee even less frequent。 on the other hand； going to university would mean staying with some of the friends she鈥檇 had virtually all her life； girls she鈥檇 started school with at the age of five。 there would also be a much greater world of social interaction； particularly with young men； of which modity there was a distinct shortage around wyverley college。
and the disadvantage of losing her magic could possibly be offset by a lessening of her affinity for death and the dead 。 。 。
sabriel was thinking of this as she waited； book in hand； half…drunk cup of tea balanced precariously on the arm of her chair。 it was almost midnight and abhorsen hadn鈥檛 appeared。 sabriel had checked the almanac twice and had even opened the shutters to peer out through the glass at the sky。 it was definitely the dark of the moon； but there was no sign of him。 it was the first time in her life that he hadn鈥檛 appeared and she felt suddenly uneasy。
sabriel rarely thought about what life was really like in the old kingdom； but now old stories came to mind and dim memories of when she鈥檇 lived there with the travelers。 abhorsen was a powerful sorcerer； but even then 。 。 。
鈥渟abriel！ sabriel！鈥�
a high…pitched voice interrupted her thought； quickly followed by a hasty knock and a rattle of the doorknob。 sabriel sighed； pushed herself out of her chair； caught the teacup and unlocked the door。
a young girl stood on the other side； twisting her nightcap from side to side in trembling hands； her face white with fear。
鈥渙lwyn！鈥潯xclaimed sabriel。 鈥渨hat is it？ is sussen sick again？鈥�
鈥渘o；鈥潯obbed the girl。 鈥渋 heard noises behind the tower door； and i thought it was rebece and ila having a midnight feast without me； so i looked 。 。 。鈥�
鈥渨hat！鈥潯xclaimed sabriel； alarmed。 no one opened outside doors in the middle of the night； not this close to the old kingdom。
鈥渋鈥檓 sorry；鈥潯ried olwyn。 鈥渋 didn鈥檛 mean to。 i don鈥檛 know why i did。 it wasn鈥檛 rebece and ila鈥敗t was a black shape and it tried to get in。 i slammed the door 。 。 。鈥�
sabriel threw the teacup aside and pushed past olwyn。 she was already halfway down the corridor before she heard the porcelain smash behind her； and olwyn鈥檚 horrified gasp at such cavalier treatment of good china。 she ignored it and broke into a run； slapping on the light switches as she ran towards the open door of the west dormitory。 as she reached it； screams broke out inside； rapidly crescendoing to an hysterical chorus。 there were forty girls in the dormitory鈥攎ost of the first form； all under the age of eleven。 sabriel took a deep breath； and stepped into the doorway； fingers crooked in a spell…casting stance。 even before she looked； she felt the presence of death。
the dormitory was very long； and narrow； with a low roof and small windows。 beds and dressers lined each side。 at the far end； a door led to the west tower steps。 it was supposed to be locked inside and out； but locks rarely prevailed against the powers of the old kingdom。
the door was open。 an intensely dark shape stood there； as if someone had cut a man…shaped figure out of the night； carefully choosing a piece devoid of stars。 it had no features at all； but the head quested from side to side； as if whatever senses it did possess worked in a narrow range。
curiously； it carried an absolutely mundane sack in one four…fingered hand； the rough…woven cloth in stark contrast to its own surreal flesh。
sabriel鈥檚 hands moved in a plicated gesture； drawing the symbols of the charter that intimated sleep； quiet and rest。 with a flourish； she indicated both sides of the dormitory and drew one of the master symbols； drawing all together。
instantly； every girl in the room stopped screaming and slowly subsided back onto her bed。
the creature鈥檚 head stopped moving and sabriel knew its attention was now centered on her。 slowly it moved； lifting one clumsy leg and swinging it forward； resting for a moment； then swinging the other a little past the first。 a lumbering； rolling motion； that made an eerie； shuffling noise on the thin carpet。 as it passed each bed； the electric lights above them flared once and went out。
sabriel let her hands fall to her side and focused her eyes on the center of the creature鈥檚 torso； feeling the stuff of which it was made。 she had e without any of her instruments or tools； but that led to only a moment鈥檚 hesitation before she let herself slip over the border into death； her eyes still on the intruder。
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