Sabriel (The Abhorsen Trilogy)-第23章

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ther　two　candles。　she　put　one　down　near　the　first　and　took　the　other　to　light　her　way；　walking　around　the　destroyed　paperwing；　searching　for　any　sign　of　mogget。　at　the　dismembered　prow　of　the　craft；　she　gently　touched　the　eyes；　wishing　she　could　close　them。

“i　am　sorry；”　she　whispered。　“perhaps　i　will　be　able　to　make　a　new　paperwing　one　day。　there　should　be　another；　to　carry　on　your　name。”

“sentiment；　abhorsen？”　said　a　voice　somewhere　behind　her；　a　voice　that　managed　to　sound　like　mogget　and　not　at　all　like　him　at　the　same　time。　it　was　louder；　harsher；　less　human；　and　every　word　seemed　to　crackle；　like　the　electric　generators　she’d　used　in　wyverley　college　science　classes。

“where　are　you？”　asked　sabriel；　swiftly　turning。

the　voice　had　sounded　close；　but　there　was　nothing　visible　within　the　sphere　of　candlelight。

she　held　her　own　candle　higher；　and　transferred　it　to　her　left　hand。

“here；”　snickered　the　voice；　and　sabriel　saw　lines　of　white　fire　run　out　from　under　the　ruined　fuselage；　lines　that　lit　the　paper　laminate　as　they　ran；　so　that；　within　a　second；　the　paperwing　was　burning　fiercely；　yellow…red　flames　dancing　under　thick　white　smoke；　totally　obscuring　whatever　had　emerged　from　under　the　stricken　craft。

no　death　sense　twitched；　but　sabriel　could　almost　smell　the　free　magic；　tangy；　unnatural；　nerve…jangling；　tainting　the　thick　odor　of　natural　smoke。　then　she　saw　the　white　fire…lines　again；　streaming　out；　converging；　roiling；　ing　together—and　a　blazing；　blue…white　creature　stepped　out　from　the　funeral　pyre　of　the　paperwing。

sabriel　couldn’t　look　at　it　directly；　but　from　the　corners　of　her　arm…shielded　eyes；　she　saw　something　human　in　shape；　taller　than　her；　and　thin；　almost　starved。　it　had　no　legs；　the　torso　and　head　balanced　upon　a　column　of　twisting；　whirling　force。

“free；　save　for　the　blood　price；”　it　said；　advancing。　all　trace　of　mogget’s　voice　was　lost　　now；　submerged　in　zapping；　crackling　menace。

sabriel　had　no　doubt　about　the　meaning　of　a　blood　price　and　who　would　pay　it。　summoning　all　her　remaining　energies；　she　called　three　charter　marks　to　the　forefront　of　her　mind；　and　hurled　them　towards　the　thing；　shouting　their　names。

“anet！　calew！　ferhan！”

the　marks　became　silver　blades　as　they　left　her　hand；　mind　and　voice；　flashing　through　the　air　swifter　than　any　thrown　dagger—and　went　straight　through　the　shining　figure；　apparently　without　effect。

it　laughed；　a　series　of　rises　and　falls　like　a　dog　screaming　in　pain；　and　lazily　slid　forward。　its　languid　motion　seemed　to　declare　it　would　have　no　more　trouble　disposing　of　sabriel　than　it　had　in　burning　the　paperwing。

sabriel　drew　her　sword　and　backed　away；　determined　not　to　panic　as　she　had　done　when　faced　by　the　mordicant。　her　head　flicked　backwards　and　forwards；　neck　pain　forgotten；　checking　the　ground　behind　her　and　marking　her　opponent。　her　mind　raced；　considering　options。

perhaps　one　of　the　bells—but　that　would　mean　dropping　her　candle。　could　she　count　on　the　　creature’s　blazing　presence　to　light　her　way？　almost　as　if　it　could　read　her　mind；　the　creature　suddenly　started　to　lose　its　brilliance；　sucking　darkness　into　its　swirling　body　like　a　sponge　soaking　up　ink。　within　a　few　seconds；　sabriel　could　barely　make　it　out—a　fearful　silhouette；　back…lit　by　the　orange　glow　of　the　burning　paperwing。

desperately；　sabriel　tried　to　remember　what　she　knew　of　free　magic　elementals　and　constructs。

her　father　had　rarely　mentioned　them；　and　magistrix　greenwood　had　only　lightly　delved　into　the　subject。　sabriel　knew　the　binding　spells　for　two　of　the　lesser　kindred　of　free　magic　beings；　but　the　creature　before　her　was　neither　margrue　nor　stilken。

“keep　thinking；　abhorsen；”　laughed　the　creature；　advancing　again。　“such　a　pity　your　head　doesn’t　work　too　well。”

“you　saved　it　from　not　working　forever；”

sabriel　replied　warily。　it　had　braked　the　paperwing；　after　all；　so　perhaps　there　was　some　good　in　it　somewhere；　some　remnant　of　mogget；　if　only　it　could　be　brought　out。

“sentiment；”　the　thing　replied；　still　silently　sliding　forward。　it　laughed　again　and　a　dark；　　tendril…like　arm　suddenly　unleashed　itself；　snapping　across　the　intervening　space　to　strike　sabriel　across　the　face。

“a　memory；　now　purged；”　it　added；　as　sabriel　staggered　back　from　a　second　attack；　sword　flashing　across　to　parry。　unlike　the　silver　spell　darts；　the　charter…etched　blade　did　connect　with　the　unnatural　flesh　of　the　creature；　but　had　no　effect　apart　from　jarring　sabriel’s　arm。

her　nose　was　bleeding　too；　a　warm　and　salty　flow；　stinging　her　wind…chafed　lips。　she　tried　to　ignore　it；　tried　to　use　the　pain　of　what　was　probably　a　broken　nose　to　get　her　mind　back　to　full　operational　speed。

“memories；　yes；　many　memories；”　continued　the　creature。　it　was　circling　around　her　now；　pushing　her　back　the　way　they’d　e；　back　towards　the　fading　fire　of　the　paperwing。　that　would　burn　out　soon；　and　then　there　would　only　be　darkness；　for　sabriel’s　candle　was　now　a　lump　of　blown…out　wax；　falling　forgotten　from　her　hand。

“millenia　of　servitude；　abhorsen。　chained　by　trickery；　treachery　。　。　。　captive　in　a　repulsive；　fixedflesh　shape　。　。　。　but　there　will　be　payment；　slow　payment—not　quick；　not　quick　at　all！”

a　tendril　lashed　out；　low　this　time；　trying　to　trip　her。　sabriel　leapt　over　it；　blade　extended；　lunging　for　the　creature’s　chest。　but　it　shimmied　aside；　extruding　extra　arms　as　she　tried　to　jump　back；　catching　her　in　mid…leap；　drawing　her　close。

sword…arm　pinioned　at　her　side；　it　tightened　its　grip；　till　she　was　close　against　its　chest；　her　face　a　finger…width　from　its　boiling；　constantly　moving　flesh；　as　if　a　billion　tiny　insects　buzzed　behind　a　membrane　of　utter　darkness。

another　arm　gripped　the　back　of　her　helmet；　forcing　her　to　look　up；　till　she　saw　its　head；　directly　above　her。　a　thing　of　most　basic　anatomy；　its　eyes　were　like　the　sinkhole；　deep　pits　without　apparent　bottom。　it　had　no　nose；　but　a　mouth　that　split　the　horrid　face　in　two；　a　mouth　slightly　parted　to　reveal　the　burning　blue…white　glare　that　it　had　first　used　as　flesh。

all　charter　magic　had　fled　from　sabriel’s　mind。　her　sword　was　trapped；　the　bells　likewise；　and　even　if　they　weren’t；　she　didn’t　know　how　to　use　them　properly　against　things　not　dead。　she　ran　over　them　mentally　anyway；　in　a　frantic；　lightning　inventory　of　anything　that　might　help。

it　was　then　her　tired；　concussed　mind　remembered　the　ring。　it　was　on　her　left　hand；　her　free　hand；　cool　silver　on　the　index　finger。

but　she　didn’t　know　what　to　do　with　it—and　the　creature’s　head　was　bowing　down　towards　her　own；　its　neck　stretching　impossibly　long；　till　it　was　like　a　snake’s　head　rearing　above　her；　the　mouth　opening　wider；　growing　brighter；　fizzing　with　white…hot　sparks　that　fell　upon　her　helmet　and　face；　burning　cloth　and　skin；　leaving　tiny；　tattoo…like　scars。　the　ring　felt　loose　on　her　finger。

sabriel　instinctively　curled　her　hand；　and　the　ring　felt　looser　still；　slipping　down　her　finger；　expanding；　growing；　till　without　looking；　sabriel　knew　she　held　a　silver　hoop　as　wide　or　wider　than　the　creature’s　slender　head。　and　she　suddenly　knew　what　to　do。

“first；　the　plucking　of　an　eye；”　said　the　thing；　breath　as　hot　as　the　falling　sparks；　scorching　her　face　with　instant　sunburn。　it　tilted　its　head　sideways　and　opened　its　mouth　still　wider；　lower　jaw　dislocating　out。

sabriel　took　one　last；　careful　look；　screwed　her　eyes　tight　against　the　terrible　glare；　and　flipped　the　silver　hoop　up；　and　she　hoped；　over　the　thing’s　neck。

for　a　second；　as　the　heat　increased　and　she　felt　a　terrible　burning　pain　against　her　eye；　sabriel　thought　she’d　missed。　then　the　hoop　was　wrenched　from　her　hand　and　she　was　thrown　away；　hurled　out　like　an　angry　fisherman’s　rejected　minnow。

on　the　cool　flagstones　again；　she　opened　her　eyes；　the　left　one　blurry；　sore　and　swimming　with　tears—but　still　there　and　still　working。

she　had　put　the　silver　hoop　over　the　thing’s　head；　and　it　was　slowly　sliding　down　that　long；　sinuous　neck。　the　ring　was　shrinking　again　as　it　slid；　impervious　to　the　creature’s　desperate　attempts　to　get　it　off。　it　had　six　or　seven　hands　now；　formed　directly　from　its　shoulders；　all　squirming　about；　trying　to　force　fingers　under　the　ring。　but　the　metal　seemed　inimical　to　the　creature’s　substance；　like　a　hot　pan　to　human　fingers；　for　the　fingers　flinched　and　danced　around　it；　but　could　not　take　hold　for　longer　than　a　second。

the　darkness　that　stained　it　was　ebbing　too；　draining　down　through　its　thrashing；　twisting　support；　leaving　glowing　whiteness　behind。　still　the　creature　fought　with　the　ring；　blazing　hands　forming　and　re…forming；　body　twisting　and　turning；　even　bucking；　as　if　it　could　throw　the　ring　　like　a　rider　from　a　horse。

finally；　it　gave　up　and　turned　towards　sabriel；　screaming　and　crackling。　two　long　arms　sprang　out　from　it；　reaching　towards　sabriel’s　sprawling　body；　talons　growing　from　the　hands；　raking　the　stone　with　deep　gouges　as　they　scrabbled　towards　her；　like　spiders　scuttling　to　their　prey—　only　to　fall　short　by　a　yard　or　more。

“no！”　howled　the　thing；　and　its　whole　twisting；　coiling　body　lurched　forward；　killing　arms　outstretched。　again；　the　talons　fell　short