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fting charter marks and silver flames。 sabriel eyed the blades in surprise； she hadn鈥檛 known they were spelled。 past time she asked； she realized。
then ranna was free in her hand鈥攂ut the mordaut didn鈥檛 wait for the unavoidable lullaby。
patar suddenly screamed； and stood rigid； the redness draining from his face； to be replaced by grey。 then his flesh crumpled and fell apart； even his bones flaking away to soggy ash as the mordaut sucked all the life out of him in one voracious instant。 newly fed and strengthened； the dead slid out from the falling cloak； a pool of squelching darkness。 it took shape as it moved； being a large； disgustingly elongated sort of rat。 quicker than any natural rat； it scuttled towards a hole in the wall and escape！ sabriel lunged； her blade striking chips from the floor planks； missing the shadowy form by a scant instant。
touchstone didn鈥檛 miss。 his right…hand sword sheared through the creature just behind the head； the left…wielded blade impaling its sinuous midsection。
pinned to the floor； the creature writhed and arched； its shadow…stuff working away from the blades。 it was remaking its body； escaping the trap。
quickly； sabriel stood over it； ranna sounding in her hand； sweet； lazy tone echoing out into the shed。
before the echoes died； the mordaut ceased to writhe。 form half…lost by its shifting from the swords； it lay like a lump of charred liver； quivering on the floor； still impaled。
sabriel replaced ranna； and drew the eager saraneth。 its forceful voice snapped out； sound weaving a net of domination over the foul creature。 the mordaut made no effort to resist； even to make a mouth to whine its cause。 sabriel felt it succumb to her will； via the medium of saraneth。
she put the bell back； but hesitated as her hand fell on kibeth。 sleeper and master had spoken well； but walker sometimes had its own ideas； and it was stirring suspiciously under her hand。
best to wait a moment； to calm herself； sabriel thought； taking her hand away from the bandolier。
she sheathed her sword； and looked around the shed。 to her surprise； everyone except touchstone and mogget was asleep。 they had only caught the echoes of ranna； which shouldn鈥檛 have been enough。 of course； ranna could be tricksome too； but its trickery was far less troublesome。
鈥渢his is a mordaut；鈥潯he said to touchstone； who was stifling a half…born yawn。 鈥渁 weak spirit； catalogued as one of the lesser dead。 they like to ride with the living鈥攃ohabiting the body to some extent； directing it； and slowly sipping the spirit away。 it makes them hard to find。鈥�
鈥渨hat do we do with it now？鈥潯sked touchstone； eyeing the quivering lump of shadow with distaste。 it clearly couldn鈥檛 be cut up； consumed by fire； or anything else he could think of。
鈥渋 will banish it； send it back to die a true death；鈥潯eplied sabriel。 slowly； she drew kibeth； using both hands。 she still felt uneasy； for the bell was twisting in her grasp； trying to sound of its own accord； a sound that would make her walk in death。
she gripped it harder and rang the orthodox backwards； forwards and figure eight her father had taught her。 kibeth鈥檚 voice rang out； singing a merry tune； a capering jig that almost had sabriel鈥檚 feet jumping too； till she forced herself to be absolutely still。
the mordaut had no such free will。 for a moment； touchstone thought it was getting away； the shadow form suddenly leaping upwards； unreal flesh slipping up his blades almost to the cross…hilts。 then； it slid back down again鈥攁nd vanished。 back into death； to bob and spin in the current； howling and screaming with whatever voice it had there； all the way through to the final gate。
鈥渢hanks；鈥潯abriel said to touchstone。 she looked down at his two swords； still deeply embedded in the wooden floor。 they were no longer burning with silver flames； but she could see the charter marks moving on the blades。
鈥渋 didn鈥檛 realize your swords were ensorcelled；鈥�
she continued。 鈥渢hough i鈥檓 glad they are。鈥�
surprise crossed touchstone鈥檚 face； and confusion。
鈥渋 thought you knew；鈥潯e said。 鈥渋 took them from the queen鈥檚 ship。 they were a royal champion鈥檚 swords。 i didn鈥檛 want to take them； but mogget said you鈥斺��
he stopped in mid…sentence； as sabriel let out a heartfelt sigh。
鈥渨ell； anyway；鈥潯e continued。 鈥渓egend has it that the wallmaker made them； at the same time he鈥攐r she； i suppose鈥攎ade your sword。鈥�
鈥渕ine？鈥潯sked sabriel； her hand lightly touching the worn bronze of the guard。 she鈥檇 never thought about who鈥檇 made the sword鈥攊t just was。 鈥渋 was made for abhorsen； to slay those already dead；鈥潯he inscription said； when it said anything lucid at all。 so it probably was forged long ago； back in the distant past when the wall was made。 mogget would know； she thought。
mogget probably wouldn鈥檛； or couldn鈥檛； tell her鈥攂ut he would know。
鈥渋 suppose we鈥檇 better wake everybody up；鈥�
she said； dismissing speculation about swords for the immediate present。
鈥渁re there more dead？鈥潯sked touchstone； grunting as he pulled his swords free of the floor。
鈥渋 don鈥檛 think so；鈥潯eplied sabriel。 鈥渢hat mordaut was very clever； for it had hardly sapped the spirit of poor 。 。 。 patar 。 。 。 so its presence was masked by his life。 it would have e to the island in that box of grave dirt； having impressed the poor man with instructions before they left the mainland。 i doubt whether any others would have done the same。 i can鈥檛 sense any here； at least。 i guess i should check the other buildings； and walk around the island； just to be sure。鈥�
鈥渘ow？鈥潯sked touchstone。
鈥渘ow；鈥潯onfirmed sabriel。 鈥渂ut let鈥檚 wake everyone up first； and organize some people to carry lights for us。 we鈥檇 also better talk to the elder about a boat for the morning。鈥�
鈥渁nd a good supply of fish；鈥潯dded mogget； who鈥檇 slunk back to the half…eaten whiting； his voice sharp above the heavy drone of snoring fisher…folk。
there were no dead on the island； though the archers reported seeing strange lights moving in the village； during brief lulls in the rain。 they鈥檇 heard movement on the breakwater too； and shot fire arrows onto the stones； but saw nothing before the crude； oily rag鈥搘rapped shafts guttered out。
sabriel advanced out on the breakwater； and stood near the sea gap； her oilskin coat loosely draped over her shoulders； shedding rain to the ground and down her neck。 she couldn鈥檛 see anything through the rain and dark； but she could feel the dead。 there were more than she had sensed earlier； or they had grown much stronger。 then； with a sickening feeling； she realized that this strength belonged to a single creature； only now emerging from death； using the broken stone as a portal。 an instant later； she recognized its particular presence。
the mordicant had found her。
鈥渢ouchstone；鈥潯he asked； fighting to keep the shivers from her voice。 鈥渃an you sail a boat by night？鈥�
鈥測es；鈥潯eplied touchstone； his voice impersonal again； face dark in the rainy night； the lantern…light from the villagers behind him lighting only his back and feet。 he hesitated； as if he shouldn鈥檛 be offering an opinion； then added； 鈥渂ut it would be much more dangerous。 i don鈥檛 know this coast； and the night is very dark。鈥�
鈥渕ogget can see in the dark；鈥潯abriel said quietly； moving closer to touchstone so the villagers couldn鈥檛 hear her。
鈥渨e have to leave immediately；鈥潯he whispered； while pretending to adjust her oilskin。 鈥渁 mordicant has e。 the same one that pursued me before。鈥�
鈥渨hat about the people here？鈥潯sked touchstone； so softly the sound of the rain almost washed his words away鈥攂ut there was the faint sound of reproof under his business…like tone。
鈥渢he mordicant is after me；鈥潯uttered sabriel。 she could sense it moving away from the stone； questing about； using its otherwordly senses to find her。 鈥渋t can feel my presence； as i feel it。 when i go； it will follow。鈥�
鈥渋f we stay till morning；鈥潯ouchstone whispered back； 鈥渨on鈥檛 we be safe？ you said even a mordicant couldn鈥檛 cross this gap。鈥�
鈥渋 said； 鈥榠 think；鈥欌�潯altered sabriel。 鈥渋t has grown stronger。 i can鈥檛 be sure鈥斺��
鈥渢hat thing back in the shed； the mordaut； it wasn鈥檛 very difficult to destroy；鈥潯ouchstone whispered； the confidence of ignorance in his voice。 鈥渋s this mordicant much worse？鈥�
鈥渕uch；鈥潯eplied sabriel shortly。
the mordicant had stopped moving。 the rain seemed to be dampening both its senses and its desire to find her and slay。 sabriel stared vainly out into the darkness； trying to peer past the sheets of rain； to gain the evidence provided by sight； as well as her necromantic senses。
鈥渞iemer；鈥潯he said； loudly now； calling to the villager who was in charge of their lanternholders。
he came forward quickly； gingery hair plastered flat on his rounded head； rainwater dripping down from a high forehead to catapult itself off the end of his pudgy nose。
鈥渞iemer； have the archers keep very careful watch。 tell them to shoot anything that es onto the breakwater鈥攖here is nothing living out there