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is brilliant attacker； choking and absorbing it with the implacable voracity of an octopus strangling a brightshelled turtle。
desperately； sabriel looked around for touchstone and magistrix greenwood。 brick dust was still falling slowly through the moonlit air； like some deadly rust…colored gas； the bodies lying around seemingly victims of its choking poison。 but they had been struck by bricks； or wooden splinters from the smashing of the pews。
sabriel saw the magistrix first； lying a little away； curled up on her side。 anyone else might have thought her merely unconscious； but sabriel knew she was dead； struck by a long； stiletto…like splinter from a shattered pew。 the iron…hard wood had driven right through her。
she knew touchstone was alive鈥攁nd there he was； propped up against a pile of broken masonry。 his eyes reflected the moonlight。
sabriel walked over to him； stepping between the bodies and the rubble； the patches of freshly spilled blood and the silent； hopeless wounded。
鈥渕y leg is broken；鈥潯ouchstone said； his mouth showing the pain of it。 he tilted his head towards the gaping hole in the wall。 鈥渞un； sabriel。 while he鈥檚 busy。 run south。 live a normal life 。 。 。鈥�
鈥渋 can鈥檛；鈥潯eplied sabriel softly。 鈥渋 am the abhorsen。 besides； how could you run with me； you with your broken leg？鈥�
鈥渟abriel 。 。 。鈥�
but sabriel had already turned away。 she picked up astarael； practiced hands keeping it still。 but there was no need； for the bell was choked with brick dust； its voice silent。 it would not ring true until cleaned； with patience； magic and steady nerves。 sabriel stared at it for a second； then gently placed it back down on the floor。
her father鈥檚 sword was only a few paces further away。 she picked it up； and watched the charter marks flow along the blade。 this time； they didn鈥檛 run through the normal inscription； but said： 鈥渢he clayr saw me； the wallmaker made me； the king quenched me； the abhorsen wields me so that no dead shall walk in life。 for this is not their path。鈥�
鈥渢his is not their path；鈥潯hispered sabriel。 she took up the guard position； and looked down the hall to the writhing hulk of darkness that was kerrigor。
w w w/xiao shu otx t
chapter xxix
灏忚…txt澶╁爞
kerrigor seemed to have finished with the free magic thing that had once been mogget。 his great cloud of darkness was plete again； with no sign of white fire； no dazzling brilliance fighting away within。
he was remarkably still； and sabriel had a moment鈥檚 brief hope that he was somehow wounded。 then the awful realization came。
kerrigor was digesting； like a glutton after an overly ambitious meal。
sabriel shuddered at the thought； bile tainting her mouth。 not that her end was likely to be better。 both she and touchstone would be taken alive； and kept that way； till they pumped out their life鈥檚 blood； throats yawning； down in the dark of the reservoir 。 。 。
she shook her head； dispelling that image。
there had to be something 。 。 。 kerrigor had to be weaker； so far from the old kingdom 。 。 。
perhaps weakened more than her charter magic。 she doubted that a single bell could sway him； but two； in concert？ it was dark in the hall； save for the moonlight falling through the shattered wall behind her。 and quiet。 even the wounded were slipping away in silence； their cries muted； last wishes whispered。 they kept their agony close； as if a scream might attract the wrong attention。 there were things worse than death in the hall 。 。 。
even in darkness； the form of kerrigor was darker still。 sabriel watched him carefully； undoing the straps that held saraneth and kibeth with her left hand。 she sensed other dead all around； but none entered the hall。
there were still men to fight； or feast upon。
what went on in the hall was their master鈥檚 business。
the straps came undone。 kerrigor didn鈥檛 move； his burning eyes closed； his fiery mouth shut。
in one quick motion； sabriel sheathed her sword； and drew the bells。
kerrigor did move then。 swiftly； his dark bulk bounding forward； halving the gap between them。 he grew taller too； stretching upwards till he almost reached the vaulted ceiling。 his eyes opened to full； raging； flaming fury； and he spoke。
鈥渢oys； abhorsen。 and too late。 much too late。鈥�
it was not just words he spoke； but power； free magic power that froze sabriel鈥檚 nerves； caught at her muscles。 desperately； she struggled to ring the bells； but her wrists were locked in place 。 。 。
tantalizingly slowly； kerrigor glided forward； till he was a mere arm鈥檚 length away； towering over her like some colossal statue of rough…hewn night； his breath rolling down on her with the stench of a thousand abattoirs。
someone鈥攁 girl quietly coughing out her last breath on the floor鈥攖ouched sabriel鈥檚 ankle with a light caress。 a small spark of golden charter magic came from that dying touch； slowly swelling into sabriel鈥檚 veins； traveling upwards； warming joints； freeing muscles。 at last it reached her wrists and hands鈥攁nd the bells rang out。
it was not the clear； true sound it should be； for somehow the bulk of kerrigor took the sound in and warped it鈥攂ut it had an effect。
kerrigor slid back； and was diminished； till he was little more than twice sabriel鈥檚 height。
but he was not subject to sabriel鈥檚 will。
saraneth had not bound him； and kibeth had only forced him back。
sabriel rang the bells again； concentrating on the difficult counterpoint between them； forcing all her will into their magic。 kerrigor would fall under her domination； he would walk where she willed 。 。 。
and for a second； he did。 not into death； for she lacked the power； but into his original body； inside the broken sarcophagus。 even as the chime of the bells faded； kerrigor changed。
fiery eyes and mouth ran into each other like molten wax； and his shadow…stuff folded into a narrow column of smoke； roaring up into the ceiling。 it hovered among the rafters for a moment； then descended with a hideous scream； straight into the rogir…body鈥檚 open mouth。
with that scream； saraneth and kibeth cracked； shards of silver falling like broken stars； crashing to the earth。 mahogany handles turned to dust； drifting through sabriel鈥檚 fingers like smoke。
sabriel stared at her empty hands for a second； still feeling the harsh imprint of bell…handles 。 。 。
then； without any conscious thought； there was a sword hilt in her hand as she advanced upon the sarcophagus。 but before she could see into it； rogir stood up and looked at her鈥攍ooked with the burning fire…pit eyes of kerrigor。
鈥渁n inconvenience；鈥潯e said； with a voice that was only marginally more human。 鈥渋 should have remembered you were a troublesome brat。鈥�
sabriel lunged at him； sword blowing white sparks as it struck； punching through his chest to project out the other side。 but kerrigor only laughed； and reached down till he held the blade with both hands； knuckles pallid against the silver…sparking steel。 sabriel tugged at the sword； but it would not e free。
鈥渘o sword can harm me；鈥潯errigor said； with a giggle like a dying man鈥檚 cough。 鈥渘ot even one made by the wallmakers。 especially not now； when i have finally assumed the last of their powers。 power that ruled before the charter； power that made the wall。 i have it now。 i have that broken puppet； my half…brother鈥攁nd i have you； my abhorsen。 power； and blood鈥敗lood for the breaking！鈥�
he reached out； and pulled the sword further into his chest； till the hilt was lodged against his skin。 sabriel tried to let go； but he was too quick； one chill hand clutching her forearm。 irresistibly； kerrigor drew her towards him。
鈥渨ill you sleep； unknowing； till the great stones are ready for your blood？鈥潯hispered kerrigor； his breath still reeking of carrion。 鈥渙r will you go waking； every step of the way？鈥�
sabriel stared back； meeting his gaze for the first time。 surely； there in the hellfire of his eyes； she could see the faintest spark of blazing white？ she unclenched her left fist； and felt the silver ring slip down her finger。 was it expanding？ 鈥渨hat would you have； abhorsen？鈥潯ontinued kerrigor； his mouth peeling back； skin already breaking at the corners； the spirit within corroding even this magically preserved flesh。
鈥測our lover crawls towards us鈥攁 pathetic sight鈥攂ut i shall have the next kiss 。 。 。鈥�
the ring was hanging in sabriel鈥檚 hand； hidden behind her back。 it had grown larger鈥攂ut she could still feel the metal expanding 。 。 。
kerrigor鈥檚 blistered lips moved towards hers； and still the ring moved in her hand。 his breath was overpowering； reeking of blood； but she had long gone beyond throwing up。 she turned her head aside at the last second； and felt； dry； corpse…like flesh slide across her cheek。
鈥渁 sisterly kiss；鈥潯huckled kerrigor。 鈥渁 kiss for an uncle who has known you since birth鈥攐r slightly before鈥攂ut it is not enough 。 。 。鈥�
again； his words were not just words。 sabriel felt a force grip her head； and move it back to face him； while her mouth was wedged apart； as if in passionate expectation。
but her left arm was free。
kerrigor鈥檚 head bent