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st news i have heard for many years。鈥�
鈥渁t least i am a living messenger 。 。 。 and a friendly one；鈥潯abriel said quietly。 she hadn鈥檛 really thought beyond her own concern for her father。 now； she was beginning to expand her knowledge of him； to understand that he was more than just her father； that he was many different things to different people。 her simple image of him鈥攔elaxing in the armchair of her study at wyverley college； chatting about her schoolwork； ancelstierre technology； charter magic and necromancy鈥攚as a limited view； like a painting that only captured one dimension of the man。
鈥渉ow long do we have until abhorsen鈥檚 bindings are broken？鈥潯sked horyse； breaking into sabriel鈥檚 remembrance of her father。 the image she had of her father reaching for a teacup in her study disappeared； banished by real tea slopping over in her enamel mug and burning her fingers。
鈥渙h！ excuse me。 i wasn鈥檛 thinking 。 。 。 how long till what？鈥�
鈥渢he binding of the dead；鈥潯he colonel reiterated； patiently。 鈥渉ow long till the bindings fail； and the dead are free？鈥�
sabriel thought back to her father鈥檚 lessons； and the ancient grimoire she鈥檇 spent every holiday slowly memorizing。 the book of the dead it was called and parts of it still made her shudder。
it looked innocuous enough； bound in green leather； with tarnished silver clasps。 but if you looked closely； both leather and silver were etched with charter marks。 marks of binding and blinding； closing and imprisonment。 only a trained necromancer could open that book 。 。 。
and only an uncorrupted charter mage could close it。 her father had brought it with him on his visits； and always took it away again at the end。
鈥渋t depends；鈥潯he said slowly； forcing herself to consider the question objectively； without letting emotion interfere。 she tried to recall the pages that showed the carving of the wind flutes； the chapters on music and the nature of sound in the binding of the dead。 鈥渋f father 。 。 。 if abhorsen is 。 。 。 truly dead； the wind flutes will simply fall apart under the light of the next full moon。 if he is trapped before the ninth gate； the binding will continue until the full moon after he passes beyond； or a particularly strong spirit breaks the weakened bonds。鈥�
鈥渟o the moon will tell； in time；鈥潯aid horyse。
鈥渨e have fourteen days till it is full。鈥�
鈥渋t is possible i could bind the dead anew；鈥�
sabriel said cautiously。 鈥渋 mean； i haven鈥檛 done it on this sort of scale。 but i know how。 the only thing is； if father isn鈥檛 。 。 。 isn鈥檛 beyond the ninth gate； then i need to help him as soon as i can。 and before i can do that； i must get to his house and gather a few things 。 。 。 check some references。鈥�
鈥渉ow far is this house beyond the wall？鈥潯sked horyse； a calculating look on his face。
鈥渋 don鈥檛 know；鈥潯eplied sabriel。
鈥渨hat？鈥�
鈥渋 don鈥檛 know。 i haven鈥檛 been there since i was about four。 i think it鈥檚 supposed to be a secret。
father had many enemies； not just among the dead。 petty necromancers； free magic sorcerers； witches鈥斺��
鈥測ou don鈥檛 seem disturbed by your lack of directions；鈥潯nterrupted the colonel dryly。 for the first time； a hint of doubt； even fatherly condescension； had crept into his voice； as if sabriel鈥檚 youth undermined the respect due to her as both a charter mage and necromancer。
鈥渇ather taught me to how to call a guide who will give me directions；鈥潯eplied sabriel coolly。
鈥渁nd i know it鈥檚 less than four days鈥櫋ravel away。鈥�
that silenced horyse； at least for the moment。
he nodded and； standing cautiously； so his head didn鈥檛 hit the exposed beams of the dugout； he walked over to a steel filing cabinet that was rusting from the dark brown mud that oozed between the pale planks of the revetment。
opening the cabinet with a practiced heave of considerable force； he found a mimeographed map and rolled it out on the table。
鈥渨e鈥檝e never been able to get our hands on a genuine old kingdom map。 your father had one； but he was the only person who could see anything on it鈥攊t just looked like a square of calfskin to me。 a small magic； he said； but since he couldn鈥檛 teach it； perhaps not so small 。 。 。
anyway； this map is a copy of the latest version of our patrol map； so it only goes out about ten miles from the crossing point。 the garrison standing orders strictly forbid us to go further。
patrols tend not to e back beyond that distance。
maybe they desert； or maybe 。 。 。鈥�
his tone of voice suggested that even nastier things happened to the patrols； but sabriel didn鈥檛 question him。 a small portion of the old kingdom lay spread out on the table and； once again； excitement stirred up within her。
鈥渨e generally go out along the old north road；鈥潯aid horyse； tracing it with one hand； the sword calluses on his fingers rasping across the map； like the soft sandpapering of a master craftsman。 鈥渢hen the patrols sweep back； either south…east or south…west； till they hit the wall。
then they follow that back to the gate。鈥�
鈥渨hat does this symbol mean？鈥潯sked sabriel； pointing to a blacked…in square atop one of the farther hills。
鈥渢hat鈥檚 a charter stone；鈥潯eplied the colonel。
鈥渙r part of one now。 it was riven in two； as if struck by lightning； a month or so ago。 the patrols have started to call it cloven crest； and they avoid it if possible。 its true name is barhedrin hill and the stone once carried the charter for a village of the same name。 before my time； anyway。 if the village still exists it must be further north； beyond the reach of our patrols。 we鈥檝e never had any reports of inhabitants from it ing south to cloven crest。 the fact is； we have few reports of people； fullstop。
the garrison log used to show considerable interaction with old kingdom people鈥攆armers； merchants； travelers and so on鈥攂ut encounters have bee rarer over the last hundred years； and very rare in the last twenty。 the patrols would be lucky to see even two or three people a year now。 real people that is； not creatures or free magic constructs； or the dead。 we see far too many of those。鈥�
鈥渋 don鈥檛 understand；鈥潯uttered sabriel。 鈥渇ather often used to talk of villages and towns 。 。 。 even cities； in the old kingdom。 i remember some of them from my childhood 。 。 。 well； i sort of remember 。 。 。 i think。鈥�
鈥渇urther into the old kingdom； certainly；鈥�
replied the colonel。 鈥渢he records mention quite a few names of towns and cities。 we know that the people up there call the area around the wall 鈥榯he borderlands。鈥櫋nd they don鈥檛 say it with any fondness。鈥�
sabriel didn鈥檛 answer； bending her head lower over the map； thinking about the journey that lay ahead of her。 cloven crest might be a good waypoint。 it was no more than eight miles away； so she should be able to ski there before nightfall if she left fairly soon； and if it wasn鈥檛 snowing too hard across the wall。 a broken charter stone did not bode well； but there would be some magic there and the path into death would be easier to tread。 charter stones were often erected where free magic flowed and crossroads of the free magic currents were often natural doorways into the realm of death。 sabriel felt a shiver inch up her spine at the thought of what might use such a doorway and the tremor passed through to her fingers on the map。
she looked up suddenly； and saw colonel horyse looking at her long； pale hands； the heavy paper of the map still shuddering at her touch。 with an effort of will； she stilled the movement。
鈥渋 have a daughter almost your age；鈥潯e said quietly。 鈥渂ack in corvere； with my wife。 i would not let her cross into the old kingdom。鈥�
sabriel met his gaze； and her eyes were not the uncertain； flickering beacons of adolescence。
鈥渋 am only eighteen years old on the outside；鈥�
she said； touching her palm against her breast with an almost wistful motion。 鈥渂ut i first walked in death when i was twelve。 i encountered a fifth gate rester when i was fourteen； and banished it beyond the ninth gate。 when i was sixteen i stalked and banished a mordicant that came near the school。 a weakened mordicant； but still 。 。 。 a year ago； i turned the final page of the book of the dead。 i don鈥檛 feel young anymore。鈥�
鈥渋 am sorry for that；鈥潯aid the colonel； then； almost as if he had surprised himself； he added； 鈥渁h； i mean that i wish you some of the foolish joys my daughter has鈥攕ome of the lightness； the lack of responsibility that goes with youth。 but i don鈥檛 wish it if it will weaken you in the times ahead。 you have chosen a difficult path。鈥�
鈥溾�榙oes the walker choose the path； or the path the walker？鈥欌�潯abriel quoted； the words； redolent with echoes of charter magic； twining around her tongue like some lingering spice。 those words were the dedication in the front of her almanac。
they were also the very last words； all alone on the last page； of the book of the dead。
鈥渋鈥檝e heard that before；鈥潯emarked horyse。
鈥渨hat does it mean？鈥�
鈥渋 don鈥檛 know；鈥潯aid sabriel。
鈥渋t holds power when you say it；鈥潯dded the colonel slowly。 he swallowed； open…mouthed； as if the taste of the charter marks was still in the air。 鈥渋f i spoke those words； that鈥檚 all they would be。 just words。鈥�
鈥渋 can鈥檛 explain it。鈥潯abriel shrugged； and attempted a smile。 鈥渂ut i do know other sayings that are more to the point at the moment； like： 鈥榯raveler； embrace the morning light； but do not take the hand of night。鈥櫋 must be on my way。鈥�
horyse smiled at the old rhyme； so beloved of grandmothers and nannies； but it was an empty smile。 his eyes slid a little away from sabriel鈥檚 and she knew that he was thinking about refusing to let her cross the wall。 then he sighed； the short； huffy sigh of a man who is forced into a course of action through lack of alternatives。
鈥測our papers are in order；鈥潯e said； meeting her gaze once again。 鈥渁nd you are the daughter of abhorsen。 i cannot do other than let you pass。
but i can鈥檛 help feeling that i am thrusting you out to meet some terrible danger。 i can鈥檛 even send a patrol out with you； since we have five full patrols already out there。鈥�
鈥渋 expected to go alone；鈥潯eplied sabriel。 she had expected that； but felt a tinge of regret。 a protective group of soldiers would be quite a fort。 the fear of being alone in a strange and dangerous land； even if it was her homeland； was only just below the level of her excitement。
it wouldn鈥檛 take much for the fear to rise over it。
and always； there was the picture of her father in her mind。 her father in trouble； trapped and alone in the chill waters of death 。 。 。
鈥渧ery well；鈥潯aid horyse。 鈥渟ergeant！鈥�
a helmeted head appeared suddenly around the doorway； and sabriel realized two soldiers must have been standing on guard outside the dugout； on the steps up into the munication trench。 she wondered if they鈥檇 heard。
鈥減repare a crossing party；鈥潯napped horyse。
鈥渁 single person to cross。 miss abhorsen； here。
and sergeant； if you or private rahise so much as talk in your sleep about what you may have heard here； then you鈥檒l be on gravedigging fatigues for the rest of your lives！鈥�
鈥測es； sir！鈥潯ame the sharp reply； echoed by the unfortunate private rahise； who； sabriel noted； did seem half…asleep。
鈥渁fter you； please；鈥潯ontinued horyse； gesturing towards the door。 鈥渕ay i carry your skis again？鈥�
the army took no chances when it came to crossing the wall。 sabriel stood alone under the great arch of the gate that pierced the wall； but archers stood or knelt in a reverse arrowhead formation around the gate； and a dozen swordsmen had gone ahead with colonel horyse。 a hundred yards behind her； past a zigzagged lane of barbed wire； two lewyn machine…gunners watched from a forward emplacement鈥攖hough sabriel noted they had drawn their swordbayonets and thrust them； ready for use； in the sandbags； showing little faith in their air…cooled …rounds…per…minute tools of destruction。
there was no actual gate in the archway； though rusting hinges swung like mechanical hands on either side and sharp shards of oak thrust out of the ground； like teeth in a broken jaw； testimony to some explosion of modern chemistry or magical force。
it was snowing lightly on the old kingdom side； and the wind channeled occasional snowflakes through the gate into ancelstierre； where they melted on the warmer ground of the south。
one caught in sabriel鈥檚 hair。 she brushed at it lightly； till it slid down her face and was captured by her tongue。
the cold water was refreshing and； though it tasted no different from any other melted snow she鈥檇 drunk； it marked her first taste of the old kingdom in thirteen years。 dimly； she remembered it had been snowing then。 her father had carried her through； when he first brought her south into ancelstierre。
a whistle alerted her； and she saw a figure appear out of the snow； flanked by twelve others； who drew up in two lines leading out from the gate。 they faced outwards； their swords shining； blades reflecting the light that was itself reflected from the snow。 only horyse looked inwards；