Sabriel (The Abhorsen Trilogy)-第11章

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conds　it　was　out　of　sight；　heading　for　the　second　gate。

it　was　the　second　time　in　her　life　that　sabriel　had　launched　just　such　a　paper　boat。　her　father　had　shown　her　how　to　make　them；　but　had　impressed　on　her　to　use　them　sparingly。　no　more　than　thrice　every　seven　years；　he　had　said；　or　a　price　would　have　to　be　paid；　a　price　much　greater　than　a　drop　of　blood。

as　events　should　follow　as　they　had　the　first　time；　sabriel　knew　what　to　expect。　still；　when　the　noise　of　the　second　gate　stilled　for　a　moment　some　ten　or　twenty；　or　forty；　minutes　later—time　being　slippery　in　death—she　drew　her　sword　and　saraneth　hung　down　in　her　hand；　its　clapper　free；　waiting　to　be　heard。　the　gate　had　stilled　because　someone　。　。　。　something　。　。　。　was　ing　back　from　the　deeper　realms　of　death。

sabriel　hoped　it　was　the　one　she　had　invited　with　the　paper　boat。

x



chapter　vi

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charter　magic　on　cloven　crest。

it　was　like　a　scent　on　the　wind　to　the　thing　that　lurked　in　the　caves　below　the　hill；　some　mile　or　more　to　the　west　of　the　broken　charter　stone。

it　had　been　human　once；　or　human…like　at　least；　in　the　years　it　had　lived　under　the　sun。

that　humanity　had　been　lost　in　the　centuries　the　thing　spent　in　the　chill　waters　of　death；　ferociously　holding　its　own　against　the　current；　demonstrating　an　incredible　will　to　live　again。　a　will　it　didn’t　know　it　possessed　before　a　badly　cast　hunting　spear　bounced　from　a　rock　and　clipped　its　throat；　just　enough　for　a　last　few　minutes　of　frantic　life。

by　sheer　effort　of　will；　it　had　held　itself　on　the　life　side　of　the　fourth　gate　for　three　hundred　years；　growing　in　power；　learning　the　ways　of　death。　it　preyed　on　lesser　spirits；　and　served　or　avoided　greater　ones。　always；　the　thing　held　on　to　life。　its　chance　finally　came　when　a　mighty　spirit　erupted　from　beyond　the　seventh　gate；　smashing　through　each　of　the　upper　gates　in　turn；　till　it　went　ravening　into　life。　hundreds　of　the　dead　had　followed；　and　this　particular　spirit　had　joined　the　throng。　there　had　been　terrible　confusion　and　a　mighty　enemy　at　the　very　border　between　life　and　death；　but；　in　the　melee；　it　had　managed　to　sneak　around　the　edges　and　squirm　triumphantly　into　life。

there　were　plenty　of　recently　vacated　bodies　where　it　emerged；　so　the　thing　occupied　one；　animated　it　and　ran　away。　soon　after；　it　found　the　caves　it　now　inhabited。　it　even　decided　to　give　itself　a　name。　thralk。　a　simple　name；　not　too　difficult　for　a　partially　deposed　mouth　to　voice。　a　male　name。　thralk　could　not　remember　what　its　original　sex　had　been；　those　centuries　before；　but　its　new　body　was　male。

it　was　a　name　to　instill　fear　in　the　few　small　settlements　that　still　existed　in　this　area　of　the　borderlands；　settlements　thralk　preyed　upon；　capturing　and　consuming　the　human　life　he　　needed　to　keep　himself　on　the　living　side　of　death。

charter　magic　flared　on　cloven　crest　again；　and　thralk　sensed　that　it　was　strong　and　pure—　but　weakly　cast。　the　strength　of　the　magic　scared　him；　but　the　lack　of　skill　behind　it　was　reassuring　and　strong　magic　meant　a　strong　life。　thralk　needed　that　life；　needed　it　to　shore　up　the　body　he　used；　needed　it　to　replenish　the　leakage　of　his　spirit　back　into　death。　greed　won　over　fear。　the　dead　thing　left　the　mouth　of　the　cave　and　started　climbing　the　hill；　his　lidless；　rotting　eyes　fixed　on　the　distant　crest。

sabriel　saw　her　guide；　first　as　a　tall；　pale　light　drifting　over　the　swirling　water　towards　her；　and　then；　as　it　stopped　several　yards　away；　as　a　blurred；　glowing；　human　shape；　its　arms　outstretched　in　wele。

“sabriel。”

the　words　were　fuzzy　and　seemed　to　e　from　much　farther　away　than　where　the　shining　figure　stood；　but　sabriel　smiled　as　she　felt　the　warmth　in　the　greeting。　abhorsen　had　never　explained　who　or　what　this　luminous　person　　was；　but　sabriel　thought　she　knew。　she’d　summoned　this　advisor　only　once　before—when　she’d　first　menstruated。

there　was　minimal　sex　education　at　wyverley　college—none　at　all　till　you　were　fifteen。　the　older　girls’　stories　about　menstruation　were　many；　varied　and　often　meant　to　scare。　none　of　sabriel’s　friends　had　reached　puberty　before　her；　so　in　fear　and　desperation　she　had　entered　death。　her　father　had　told　her　that　the　one　the　paper　boat　summoned　would　answer　any　question　and　would　protect　her—and　so　it　had。　the　glowing　spirit　answered　all　her　questions　and　many　more　besides；　till　sabriel　was　forced　to　return　to　life。

“hello；　mother；”　said　sabriel；　sheathing　her　sword　and　carefully　muffling　saraneth　with　her　fingers　inside　the　bell。

the　shining　shape　didn’t　answer；　but　that　wasn’t　unexpected。　apart　from　her　one…word　greeting；　she　could　only　answer　questions。

sabriel　wasn’t　really　sure　if　the　manifestation　was　the　very　unusual　dead　spirit　of　her　mother；　which　was　unlikely；　or　some　residual　protective　magic　left　by　her。

“i　don’t　have　much　time；”　sabriel　continued。

“i’d　love　to　ask　about　。　。　。　oh；　everything；　i　guess　。　。　。　but　at　the　moment；　i　need　to　know　how　to　get　to　father’s　house　from　cloven　crest　。　。　。　i　mean　barhedrin　ridge。”

the　sending　nodded；　and　spoke。　as　sabriel　listened；　she　also　saw　pictures　in　her　head　of　what　the　woman　was　describing；　vivid　images；　like　memories　of　a　journey　she’d　taken　herself。

“go　to　the　northern　side　of　the　ridge。　follow　the　spur　that　begins　there　down　till　it　reaches　the　valley　floor。　look　at　the　sky　。　。　。　there　won’t　be　any　cloud。　look　to　the　bright　red　star；　uallus；　near　the　horizon；　three　fingers　east　of　north。

follow　that　star　till　you　e　to　a　road　that　runs　from　south…west　to　north…east。　take　that　road　for　a　mile　to　the　north…east；　till　you　reach　a　mile　marker　and　the　charter　stone　behind　it。　a　path　behind　the　stone　leads　to　the　long　cliffs　immediately　north。　take　the　path。　it　ends　in　a　door　in　the　cliffs。　the　door　will　answer　to　mosrael。　beyond　the　door　is　a　tunnel；　sloping　sharply　upwards。

beyond　the　tunnel　lies　abhorsen’s　bridge。　the　house　is　over　the　bridge。　go　with　love—and　do　not　tarry；　do　not　stop；　no　matter　what　happens。”

“thank　you；”　sabriel　began；　carefully　filing　the　words　away　with　the　acpanying　thoughts。

“could　you　also　。　。　。”

she　stopped　as　the　mother…sending　in　front　of　her　suddenly　raised　both　arms　as　if　shocked；　and　shouted；　“go！”

at　the　same　time；　sabriel　felt　the　diamond　of　protection　around　her　physical　body　twinge　in　warning　and　she　became　aware　that　the　north　mark　had　failed。　instantly；　she　turned　on　her　left　heel　and　began　racing　back　to　the　border　with　life；　drawing　her　sword。　the　current　almost　seemed　to　strengthen　against　her；　twining　around　her　legs；　but　then　fell　away　before　her　urgency。

sabriel　reached　the　border　and；　with　a　furious　thrust　of　will；　her　spirit　emerged　back　into　life。

for　a　second；　she　was　disoriented；　suddenly　freezing　again　and　thick…witted。　a　grinning；　corpse…like　creature　was　just　stepping　through　the　failed　north　mark；　its　arms　reaching　to　embrace　her；　carrion…breath　misting　out　of　a　mouth　unnaturally　wide。

thralk　had　been　pleased　to　find　the　charter　mage’s　spirit　wandering　and　a　broken　diamond　of　protection。　the　sword　had　worried　him　a　little；　but　it　was　frosted　over　and　his　　shriveled　eyes　couldn’t　see　the　charter　marks　that　danced　beneath　the　rime。　similarly；　the　bell　in　sabriel’s　left　hand　looked　like　a　lump　of　ice　or　snow；　as　if　she’d　caught　a　snowball。　all　in　all；　thralk　felt　very　fortunate；　particularly　as　the　life　that　blazed　within　this　still　victim　was　particularly　young　and　strong。　thralk　sidled　closer　still　and　his　double…jointed　arms　reached　to　embrace　sabriel’s　neck。

just　as　his　slimy；　corrupted　fingers　stretched　forward；　sabriel　opened　her　eyes　and　executed　the　stop…thrust　that　had　earned　her　second　place　in　fighting　arts　and；　later；　lost　her　the　first。　her　arm　and　sword　straightened　like　one　limb　to　their　full　extent　and　the　sword…point　ripped　through　thralk’s　neck；　and　into　eight　inches　of　air　beyond。

thralk　screamed；　his　reaching　fingers　gripping　the　sword　to　push　himself　free—only　to　scream　again　as　charter　marks　flared　on　the　blade。　white…hot　sparks　plumed　between　his　knuckles　and　thralk　suddenly　knew　what　he’d　encountered。

“abhorsen！”　he　croaked；　falling　backwards　as　sabriel　twisted　the　blade　free　with　one　explosive　jerk。

already；　the　sword　was　affecting　the　dead　flesh　thralk　inhabited；　charter　magic　burning　through　reanimated　nerves；　freezing　those　alltoo…　fluid　joints。　fire　rose　in　thralk’s　throat；　but　he　spoke；　to　distract　this　terrible　opponent　while　his　spirit　tried　to　shuck　the　body；　like　a　snake　its　skin；　and　retreat　into　the　night。

“abhorsen！　i　will　serve　you；　praise　you；　be　your　hand　。　。　。　i　know　things；　alive　and　dead　。　。　。

i　will　help　lure　others　to　you　。　。　。”

the　clear；　deep　sound　of　saraneth　cut　through　the　whining；　broken　voice　like　a　foghorn　booming　above　the　shriek　of　seagulls。

the　chime　vibrated　on　and　on；　echoing　into　the　night；　and　thralk　felt　it　bind　him　even　as　his　spirit　leaked　out　of　the　body　and　made　for　flight。　the　bell　bound　him　to　paralyzed　flesh；　bound　him　to　the　will　of　the　bell…ringer。

fury　seethed　in　him；　anger　and　fear　fueling　his　struggle；　but　the　sound　was　everywhere；　all　around　him；　all　through　him。　he　would　never　be　free　of