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she stepped back； and formed the charter marks that would imbue the paperwing with choice； and the winds to lift it there。 the marks went into her whistle； and the paperwing moved with the rising pitch； accelerating along till it leapt into the sky at the peak of the highest note。
鈥渋 say！鈥潯xclaimed a voice。 鈥渉ow did you do that？鈥�
sabriel turned to see a young； out…of…breath ancelstierran officer； the single gold pip of a second lieutenant looking lonely on his shoulderstraps。
he was easily fifty yards in front of the rest of the line； but he didn鈥檛 seem frightened。 he was clutching a sword and a revolver； though； and he raised both of them as sabriel stepped forward。
鈥渉alt！ you are my prisoners！鈥�
鈥渁ctually； we鈥檙e travelers；鈥潯eplied sabriel； though she did stand still。 鈥渋s that colonel horyse i can see behind you？鈥�
jorbert turned half around to have a look； realized his mistake； and turned back just in time to see sabriel and touchstone smiling； then chuckling； then out…and…out laughing； clutching at each other鈥檚 arms。
鈥渨hat鈥檚 so funny？鈥潯emanded lieutenant jorbert； as the two of them laughed and laughed； till the tears ran down their cheeks。
鈥渘othing；鈥潯aid horyse； gesturing to his men to encircle sabriel and touchstone； while he went up and carefully placed two fingers on their foreheads鈥攖esting the charter they bore within。 satisfied； he lightly shook them； till they stopped their shuddering； gasping laughter。
then； to the surprise of some of his men； he put an arm around each of them and led them back to the crossing point； towards ancelstierre and sunshine。
jorbert； left to cover the withdrawal； indignantly asked the air； 鈥渨hat was so funny？鈥�
鈥測ou heard the colonel；鈥潯eplied regimental sergeant…major tawklish。 鈥渘othing。 that was an hysterical reaction； that was。 they鈥檝e been through a lot； those two； mark my words。鈥�
then； in the way that only rsms have with junior officers； he paused； crushing jorbert pletely with a judicious； and long delayed 鈥渟ir。鈥�
the warmth wrapped sabriel like a soft blanket as they stepped out of the shadow of the wall； into the relative heat of an ancelstierran autumn。 she felt touchstone falter at her side； and stumble； his face staring blindly upwards to the sun。
鈥測ou both look done in；鈥潯aid horyse； speaking in the kindly； slow tone he used on shellshocked soldiers。 鈥渉ow about something to eat； or would you rather get some sleep first？鈥�
鈥渟omething to eat； certainly；鈥潯abriel replied； trying to give him a grateful smile。 鈥渂ut not sleep。 there鈥檚 no time for that。 tell me鈥攚hen was the full moon？ two days ago？鈥�
horyse looked at her； thinking that she no longer reminded him of his own daughter。
she had bee abhorsen； a person beyond his ken； in such a short time 。 。 。
鈥渋t鈥檚 tonight；鈥潯e said。
鈥渂ut i鈥檝e been in the old kingdom at least sixteen days 。 。 。鈥�
鈥渢ime is strange between the kingdoms；鈥�
horyse said。 鈥渨e鈥檝e had patrols swear they were out for two weeks； ing back in after eight days。 a headache for the paymaster 。 。 。鈥�
鈥渢hat voice； ing from the box on the pole；鈥�
touchstone interrupted； as they left the zigzag path through the wire defenses and climbed down into a narrow munication trench。 鈥渢here is no charter magic in the box； or the voice 。 。 。鈥�
鈥渁h；鈥潯eplied horyse； looking ahead to where a loudspeaker was announcing stand…down。 鈥渋鈥檓 surprised it鈥檚 working。 electricity runs that； mr。
touchstone。 science； not magic。鈥�
鈥渋t won鈥檛 be working tonight；鈥潯abriel said quietly。 鈥渘o technology will be。鈥�
鈥測es； it is rather loud；鈥潯oryse said； in a strong voice。 more softly； he added； 鈥減lease don鈥檛 say anything more till we get to my dugout。 the men have already picked something up about tonight and the full moon 。 。 。鈥�
鈥渙f course；鈥潯eplied sabriel； wearily。 鈥渋鈥檓 sorry。鈥�
they walked the rest of the way in silence； slogging along the zigzagging munication trench； passing soldiers in the fighting trenches； ready at their stand…to positions。 the soldier鈥檚 conversations stopped as they passed； but resumed as soon as they turned the next zig or zag and were out of sight。
at last； they descended a series of steps into colonel horyse鈥檚 dugout。 two sergeants stood guard outside鈥攖his time； charter mages from the crossing point scouts； not the regular garrison infantry。 another soldier doubled off to the cookhouse； to fetch some food。 horyse busied himself with a small spirit…burner； and made tea。
sabriel drank it without feeling much relief。
ancelstierre； and the universal forter of its society鈥攖ea鈥攏o longer seemed as solid and dependable as she had once thought。
鈥渘ow；鈥潯aid horyse。 鈥渢ell me why you don鈥檛 have time to sleep。鈥�
鈥渕y father died yesterday；鈥潯abriel said； stony…faced。 鈥渢he wind flutes will fail tonight。
at moonrise。 the dead here will rise with the moon。鈥�
鈥渋鈥檓 sorry to hear about your father。 very sorry；鈥潯oryse said。 he hesitated； then added； 鈥渂ut as you are here now； can鈥檛 you bind the dead anew？鈥�
鈥渋f that were all； yes； i could；鈥潯abriel continued。
鈥渂ut there is worse to e。 have you ever heard the name kerrigor； colonel？鈥�
horyse put his tea down。
鈥測our father spoke of him once。 one of the greater dead； i think； imprisoned beyond the seventh gate？鈥�
鈥渕ore than greater； possibly the great；鈥�
sabriel said bleakly。 鈥渁s far as i know； he is the only dead spirit to also be a free magic adept。鈥�
鈥渁nd a renegade member of the royal family；鈥�
added touchstone； his voice still harsh and dry from the cold winds of their flight； unquenched by tea。 鈥渁nd he is no longer imprisoned。 he walks in life。鈥�
鈥渁ll these things give him power；鈥潯abriel continued。
鈥渂ut there is a weakness there； too。
kerrigor鈥檚 mastery of free magic； and much of his power in both life and death； is dependent on the continual existence of his original body。 he hid it； long ago； when he first chose to bee a dead spirit鈥攁nd he hid it in ancelstierre。 near the village of wyverley； to be exact。鈥�
鈥渁nd now he鈥檚 ing to fetch it 。 。 。鈥潯aid horyse； with terrible prescience。 outwardly； he looked calm； all those long years of army service forming a hard carapace； containing his feelings。
inwardly； he felt a trembling that he hoped wasn鈥檛 being transmitted to the mug in his hand。
鈥渨hen will he e？鈥�
鈥渨ith the night；鈥潯eplied sabriel。 鈥渨ith an army of the dead。 if he can emerge out of death close to the wall； he may e earlier。鈥�
鈥樷�榯he sun鈥斺�潯oryse began。
鈥渒errigor can work the weather； bring fog or dense cloud。鈥�
鈥渟o what can we do？鈥潯sked horyse； turning his palms outwards； towards sabriel； his eyes questioning。 鈥渁bhorsen。鈥�
sabriel felt a weight placed upon her； a burden adding to the weariness that already pressed upon her； but she forced herself to answer。
鈥渒errigor鈥檚 body is in a spelled sarcophagus under a cairn； a cairn atop a little hill called docky point； less than forty miles away。 we need to get there quickly鈥攁nd destroy the body。鈥�
鈥渁nd that will destroy kerrigor？鈥�
鈥樷�榥o；鈥潯aid sabriel； shaking her head wistfully。
鈥渂ut it will weaken him 。 。 。 so there may be a chance 。 。 。鈥�
鈥渞ight；鈥潯aid horyse。 鈥渨e鈥檝e still got three or four hours of daylight； but we鈥檒l need to move quickly。 i take it that kerrigor and his 。 。 。
forces 。 。 。 will have to cross the wall here？ they can鈥檛 just pop out at docky point？鈥�
鈥渘o；鈥潯greed sabriel。 鈥渢hey鈥檒l have to emerge in life in the old kingdom； and physically cross the wall。 it would probably be best not to try and stop him。鈥�
鈥渋鈥檓 afraid we can鈥檛 do that。鈥潯eplied horyse。
鈥渢hat鈥檚 what the perimeter garrison is here for。鈥�
鈥渁 lot of your soldiers will die to no purpose then；鈥潯aid touchstone。 鈥渟imply because they鈥檒l be in the way。 anything； and anybody； that gets in kerrigor鈥檚 way will be destroyed。鈥�
鈥渟o you want us to just let this 。 。 。 this thing and a horde of dead descend on ancelstierre？鈥�
鈥渘ot exactly；鈥潯eplied sabriel。 鈥渋 would like to fight him at a time and a place more of our choosing。 if you lend me all the soldiers here who have the charter mark； and a little charter magic； we may have enough time to destroy kerrigor鈥檚 body。 also； we will be almost thirtyfive miles from the wall。 kerrigor鈥檚 power may only be slightly lessened； but many of his minions will be weaker。 perhaps so weak； that destroying or damaging their physical forms will be sufficient to send them back into death。鈥�
鈥渁nd the rest of the garrison？ we鈥檒l just stand aside and let kerrigor and his army through the perimeter？鈥�
鈥測ou probably won鈥檛 have a choice。鈥�
鈥渋 see；鈥潯uttered horyse。 he got up； and paced backwards and forwards； six steps； all the dugout would allow。 鈥渇ortunately； or unfortunately perhaps鈥攊 am currently acting as the general officer manding the whole perimeter。
general ashenber has returned south； due to 。 。 。 ah 。 。 。 ill health。 a temporary situation only鈥攁rmy