Sabriel (The Abhorsen Trilogy)-第31章

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nevertheless；　they　walked　carefully　up　to　the　village；　swords　loose；　sabriel　with　a　hand　to　her　bells。　the　path　wound　up　in　a　series　of　steps　carved　from　the　rock；　reinforced　here　and　there　with　bricks　and　mortar。　the　village　proper　nestled　on　top　of　the　bluff—about　thirty　cozy　brick　cottages；　with　wood…tile　roofs；　some　painted　bright　colors；　some　dull；　and　some　simply　grey　and　weatherbeaten。

it　was　pletely　silent；　save　for　the　odd　gust　of　wind；　or　the　mournful　cry　of　a　gull；　slipping　down　through　the　air　above。　sabriel　and　touchstone　drew　closer　together；　walking　almost　shoulder…to…shoulder　up　what　passed　for　a　main　street；　swords　out　now；　eyes　flickering　across　closed　doors　and　shuttered　windows。

both　felt　uneasy；　nervous—a　nasty；　tingling；　creeping　sensation　climbing　up　from　spine；　to　nape　of　neck；　to　forehead　charter　mark。

sabriel　also　felt　the　presence　of　dead　things。

lesser　dead；　hiding　from　sunlight；　lurking　　somewhere　nearby；　in　house　or　cellar。

at　the　end　of　the　main　street；　on　the　highest　point　of　the　bluff；　a　charter　stone　stood　on　a　patch　of　carefully　tended　lawn。　half　of　the　stone　had　been　sheared　away；　pieces　broken　and　tumbled；　dark　stone　on　green　turf。　a　body　lay　in　front　of　the　stone；　hands　and　feet　bound；　the　gaping　cut　across　the　throat　a　clear　sign　of　where　the　blood　had　e　from—the　blood　for　the　sacrifice　that　broke　the　stone。

sabriel　knelt　by　the　corpse；　eyes　averted　from　the　broken　stone。　it　was　only　recently　ruined；　she　felt；　but　already　the　door　to　death　was　creaking　open。　she　could　almost　feel　the　cold　of　the　currents　beyond；　leaking　out　around　the　stone；　sucking　warmth　and　life　from　the　air。

things　lurked　there　too；　she　knew；　just　beyond　the　border。　she　sensed　their　hunger　for　life；　their　impatience　for　night　to　fall。

as　she　expected；　the　corpse　was　of　a　charter　mage；　dead　but　three　or　four　days。　but　she　hadn’t　expected　to　find　the　dead　person　was　a　woman。

wide　shoulders　and　a　muscular　build　had　deceived　her　for　a　moment；　but　there　was　a　middleaged　woman　before　her；　eyes　shut；　throat　cut；　short　brown　hair　caked　with　sea　salt　and　blood。

“the　village　healer；”　said　mogget；　indicating　a　bracelet　on　her　wrist　with　his　nose。　sabriel　pushed　the　rope　bindings　aside　for　a　better　look。　the　bracelet　was　bronze　with　inlaid　charter　marks　of　greenstone。　dead　marks　now；　for　blood　dried　upon　the　bronze；　and　no　pulse　beat　in　the　skin　under　the　metal。

“she　was　killed　three　or　four　days　ago；”

sabriel　announced。　“the　stone　was　broken　at　the　same　time。”

touchstone　looked　back　at　her　and　nodded　grimly；　then　resumed　watching　the　houses　opposite。　his　swords　hung　loosely　in　his　hands；　but　sabriel　noticed　that　his　entire　body　was　tense；　like　a　pressed　jack…in…the…box；　ready　to　spring。

“whoever　。　。　。　whatever　。　。　。　killed　her　and　broke　the　stone；　didn’t　enslave　her　spirit；”

sabriel　added　quietly；　as　if　thinking　to　herself。

“i　wonder　why？”

neither　mogget　nor　touchstone　answered。

for　a　moment；　sabriel　considered　asking　the　woman　herself；　but　her　impetuous　desire　for　journeys　into　death　had　been　soundly　dampened　by　recent　experience。　instead；　she　cut　the　woman’s　bonds；　and　arranged　her　as　best　she　　could；　ending　up　with　a　sort　of　curled…up　sleeping　position。

“i　don’t　know　your　name；　healer；”　sabriel　whispered。　“but　i　hope　you　go　quickly　beyond　the　final　gate。　farewell。”

she　stood　back　and　drew　the　charter　marks　for　the　funeral　pyre　above　the　corpse；　whispering　the　names　of　the　marks　as　she　did　so—but　her　fingers　fumbled　and　words　went　awry。　the　baleful　influence　of　the　broken　stone　pressed　against　her；　like　a　wrestler　gripping　her　wrists；　clamping　her　jaw。　sweat　beaded　on　her　forehead；　and　pain　shot　through　her　limbs；　her　hands　shaking　with　effort；　tongue　clumsy；　seeming　swollen　in　her　suddenly　dry　mouth。

then　she　felt　assistance　e；　strength　flowing　through　her；　reinforcing　the　marks；　steadying　her　hands；　clearing　her　voice。　she　pleted　the　litany；　and　a　spark　exploded　above　the　woman；　became　a　twisting　flame；　then　grew　to　a　fierce；　white…hot　blaze　that　spread　the　length　of　the　woman’s　body；　totally　consuming　it；　to　leave　only　ash；　light　cargo　for　the　sea　winds。

the　extra　strength　came　through　touchstone’s　hand；　his　open　palm　lightly　resting　on　her　shoulder。

as　she　straightened　up；　the　touch　was　lost。

when　sabriel　turned　around；　touchstone　was　just　drawing　his　right…hand　sword；　eyes　fixed　on　the　houses—as　if　he’d　had　nothing　to　do　with　helping　her。

“thank　you；”　said　sabriel。　touchstone　was　a　strong　charter　mage；　perhaps　as　strong　as　she　was。　this　surprised　her；　though　she　couldn’t　think　why。　he’d　made　no　secret　of　being　a　charter　mage—she’d　just　assumed　he　would　only　know　a　few　of　the　more　fighting…related　marks　and　spells。　petty　magics。

“we　should　move　on；”　said　mogget；　prowling　backwards　and　forwards　in　agitation；　carefully　avoiding　the　fragments　from　the　broken　stone。

“find　a　boat；　and　put　to　sea　before　nightfall。”

“the　harbor　is　that　way；”　touchstone　added　quickly；　pointing　with　his　sword。　both　he　and　the　cat　seemed　very　keen　to　leave　the　area　around　the　broken　stone；　thought　sabriel。　but　then；　so　was　she。　even　in　bright　daylight；　it　seemed　to　dull　the　color　around　it。　the　lawn　was　already　more　yellow　than　green；　and　even　the　shadows　looked　thicker　and　more　abundant　than　they　should。　she　shivered；　remembering　cloven　crest　and　the　thing　called　thralk。

the　harbor　lay　on　the　northern　side　of　the　　bluff；　reached　by　another　series　of　steps　in　the　rocky　hill；　or　in　the　case　of　cargo；　via　one　of　the　shear…legged　hoists　that　lined　the　edge　of　the　bluff。　long　wooden　jetties　thrust　out　into　the　clear　blue…green　water；　sheltered　under　the　lee　of　a　rocky　island；　a　smaller　sibling　of　the　village　bluff。　a　long　breakwater　of　huge　boulders　joined　island　and　shore；　pleting　the　harbor’s　protection　from　wind　and　wave。

there　were　no　boats　moored　in　the　harbor；　tied　up　to　the　jetties；　or　at　the　harbor　wall。　not　even　a　dinghy；　hauled　up　for　repair。　sabriel　stood　on　the　steps；　looking　down；　mind　temporarily　devoid　of　further　plans。　she　just　watched　the　swirl　of　the　sea　around　the　barnacled　piles　of　the　jetties；　the　moving　shadows　in　the　blue；　marking　small　fish　schooling　about　their　business。

mogget　sat　near　her　feet；　sniffing　the　air；　silent。

touchstone　stood　higher；　behind　her；　guarding　the　rear。

“what　now？”　asked　sabriel；　generally　indicating　the　empty　harbor　below；　her　arm　moving　with　the　same　rhythm　as　the　swell；　in　its　perpetual　tilt　against　wood　and　stone。

“there　are　people　on　the　island；”　mogget　said；　eyes　slitted　against　the　wind。　“and　boats　　tied　up　between　the　two　outcrops　of　rock　on　the　southwest。”

sabriel　looked；　but　saw　nothing；　till　she　extracted　the　telescope　from　the　pack　on　touchstone’s　back。　he　stood　pletely　still　while　she　ferreted　around；　silent　as　the　empty　village。　playing　wooden　again；　sabriel　thought；　but　she　didn’t　really　mind。　he　was　being　helpful；　without　metaphorically　tugging　his　forelock　every　few　minutes。

through　the　telescope；　she　saw　that　mogget　was　right。　there　were　several　boats　partly　hidden　between　two　spurs　of　rock；　and　some　slight　signs　of　habitation：　a　glimpse　of　a　washing　line；　blown　around　the　corner　of　a　tall　rock；　the　momentary　sight　of　movement　between　two　of　the　six　or　seven　ramshackle　wooden　buildings　that　nestled　on　the　island’s　south…western　side。

shifting　her　gaze　to　the　breakwater；　sabriel　followed　its　length。　as　she’d　half　expected；　there　was　a　gap　in　the　very　middle　of　it；　where　the　sea　rushed　through　with　considerable　force。　a　pile　of　timber　on　the　island　side　of　the　breakwater　indicated　that　there　had　once　been　a　bridge　there；　now　removed。

“it　looks　like　the　villagers　fled　to　the　island；”

she　said；　shutting　the　telescope　down。　“there’s　a　gap　in　the　breakwater；　to　keep　running　water　between　the　island　and　shore。　an　ideal　defense　against　the　dead。　i　don’t　think　even　a　mordicant　would　risk　crossing　deep　tidal　water—”

“let’s　go　then；”　muttered　touchstone。　he　sounded　nervous　again；　jumpy。　sabriel　looked　at　him；　then　above　his　head；　and　saw　why　he　was　nervous。　clouds　were　rolling　in　from　the　southeast；　behind　the　village—dark　clouds；　laden　with　rain。　the　air　was　calm；　but　now　she　saw　the　clouds；　sabriel　recognized　it　was　the　calm　before　heavy　rain。　the　sun　would　not　be　guarding　them　for　very　much　longer　and　night　would　be　an　early　guest。

without　further　urging；　she　set　off　down　the　steps；　down　to　the　harborside；　then　along　to　the　breakwater。　touchstone　followed　more　slowly；　turning　every　few　steps　to　watch　the　rear。　mogget　did　likewise；　his　small　cat…face　continually　looking　back；　peering　up　at　the　houses。

behind　them；　shutters　inched　open　and　fleshless　eyes　watched　from　the　safety　of　shadows；　watched　the　trio　marching　out　to　the　breakwater；　still　washed　in　harsh　sunlight；　flanked　by　swiftmoving　waves　of　terrible　water。　rotten；　corroded　　teeth　ground　and　gnashed　in　skeletal　mouths。

farther　back　from　the　windows；　shadows　darker　than　ones　ever　cast　by　light　whirled　in　frustration；　anger—and　fear。　they　all　knew　who　had　passed。

one　such　shadow；　selected　by　lot　and　pelled　by　its　peers；　gave　up　its　existence　in　life　with　a　sile