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she thought to herself； in an abstract way； almost like she was diagnosing someone else。
her next thought came some time later； and with it the realization that she must have passed out again。 with this awakening； she felt a little sharper； her mind catching some slight breeze to carry her out of the mental doldrums。 working by touch； she unstrapped herself and felt behind her for the pack。 in her current state； even a simple charter…spell for light was out of the question； but there were candles there； and matches； or the clockwork igniter。
as the match flared； sabriel鈥檚 heart sank。 in the small； flickering globe of yellow light； she saw that only the central cockpit portion of the paperwing survived鈥攖he sad blue and silver corpse of a once marvelous creation。 its wings lay torn and crumpled underneath it； and the entire nose section lay some yards away； shorn off pletely。 one eye stared up at the circular patch of sky above； but it was no longer fierce and alive。 just yellow paint and laminated paper。
sabriel stared at the wreckage； regret and sorrow coursing like influenza in her bones； till the match burnt her fingers。 she lit another； and then a candle； expanding both her light and field of vision。
more small pieces of the paperwing were strewn over a large； open； flat area。 groaning with the effort of motivating bruised muscles； sabriel levered herself out of the cockpit to have a closer look at the ground。
this revealed the flat area to be man…made； flagstones； carefully laid。 grass had long grown between the stones； and lichen upon them； so it was clearly not recent work。 sabriel sat on the cool stones and wondered why anyone would do such work at the bottom of a sinkhole。
thinking about that seemed to kickstart her befuddled wits and she started to wonder about a few other things。 where； for instance； was the force that had once been mogget？ and what was it？ that reminded her to fetch her sword and check the bells。
her turbanned helmet had rotated around on her head and was almost back…to…front。 slowly； she slid it around； feeling every slight movement all the way down her now very stiff neck。
balancing her first candle on the paving in a pool of cooling wax； she dragged her pack and weapons out of the wreckage and lit another 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。
鈥渋 am sorry；鈥潯he whispered。 鈥減erhaps i will be able to make a new paperwing one day。 there should be another； to carry on your name。鈥�
鈥渟entiment； abhorsen？鈥潯aid 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鈥檇 used in wyverley college science classes。
鈥渨here are you？鈥潯sked 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。
鈥渉ere；鈥潯nickered 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鈥攁nd a blazing； blue…white creature stepped out from the funeral pyre of the paperwing。
sabriel couldn鈥檛 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。
鈥渇ree； save for the blood price；鈥潯t said； advancing。 all trace of mogget鈥檚 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。
鈥渁net！ calew！ ferhan！鈥�
the marks became silver blades as they left her hand； mind and voice； flashing through the air swifter than any thrown dagger鈥攁nd 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鈥攂ut that would mean dropping her candle。 could she count on the creature鈥檚 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鈥攁 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。
鈥渒eep thinking； abhorsen；鈥潯aughed the creature； advancing again。 鈥渟uch a pity your head doesn鈥檛 work too well。鈥�
鈥測ou saved it from not working forever；鈥�
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。
鈥渟entiment；鈥潯he 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。
鈥渁 memory； now purged；鈥潯t 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鈥檚 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。
鈥渕emories； yes； many memories；鈥潯ontinued the creature。 it was circling around her now； pushing her back the way they鈥檇 e； back towards the fading fire of the paperwing。 that would burn out soon； and then there would only be darkness； for sabriel鈥檚 candle was now a lump of blown…out wax； falling forgotten from her hand。
鈥渕illenia of servitude； abhorsen。 chained by trickery； treachery 。 。 。 captive in a repulsive； fixedflesh shape 。 。 。 but there will be payment； slow payment鈥攏ot quick； not quick at all！鈥�
a tendril lashed out； low this time； trying to trip her。 sabriel leapt over it； blade extended； lunging for the creature鈥檚 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鈥檚 mind。 her sword was trapped； the bells likewise； and even if they weren鈥檛； she didn鈥檛 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鈥檛 know what to do with it鈥攁nd the creature鈥檚 head was bowing down towards her own； its neck stretching impossibly long； till it was like a snake鈥檚 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 finge