sabriel (the abhorsen trilogy)_加斯·尼克斯-第53部分

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鈥渘o　sword　can　harm　me；鈥潯�kerrigor　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�blood　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�whispered　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�continued　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�chuckled　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　forward；　his　face　looming　larger　and　larger鈥攖hen　silver　flashed　between　them；　and　the　ring　was　around　his　neck。

sabriel　felt　the　pulsion　snap　off；　and　she　leant　back；　trying　to　hurl　herself　away。　but　kerrigor　didn鈥檛　let　go　of　her　arm。　he　seemed　surprised；　but　not　anxious。　his　right　hand　went　up　to　touch　the　band；　fingernails　falling　as　he　did　so；　bone　already　pushing　through　at　the　fingertips。

鈥渨hat　is　this？　some　relic　of　。　。　。鈥�

the　ring　constricted；　cutting　through　the　pulpy　　flesh　of　his　neck；　revealing　the　solid　darkness　within。　that　too　was　pressed；　forced　inwards；　pulsating　as　it　tried　to　escape。　two　flaming　eyes　looked　down　in　disbelief。

鈥渋mpossible；鈥潯�croaked　kerrigor。　snarling；　he　pushed　sabriel　away；　throwing　her　to　the　floor。

in　the　same　motion　he　drew　the　sword　from　his　chest；　the　blade　slowly　ing　free　with　a　sound　like　a　rasp　on　hardwood。

swiftly　as　a　snake；　arm　and　sword　went　out；　striking　through　sabriel；　through　armor　and　flesh　and　deep　into　the　wooden　floor　beyond。

pain　exploded；　and　sabriel　screamed；　body　convulsing　around　the　blade　in　one　awful　reflexive　curve。

kerrigor　left　her　there；　impaled　like　a　bug　in　a　collection；　and　advanced　upon　touchstone。

sabriel；　through　eyes　fogged　with　pain；　saw　kerrigor　look　down　and　rip　a　long；　jagged　splinter　from　one　of　the　pews。

鈥渞ogir；鈥潯�touchstone　said。　鈥渞ogir　。　。　。鈥�

the　splinter　came　down　with　a　strangled　shriek　of　rage。　sabriel　closed　her　eyes　and　looked　away；　slipping　into　a　world　of　her　own；　a　world　of　pain。

she　knew　she　should　do　something　about　the　blood　pouring　out　of　her　stomach；　but　now鈥敗　�with　touchstone　dead鈥攕he　just　lay　where　she　was；　and　let　it　bleed。

then　sabriel　realized　she　hadn鈥檛　felt　touchstone　die。

she　looked　again。　the　splinter　had　broken　on　his　armored　coat。　kerrigor　was　reaching　out　for　another　splinter鈥攂ut　the　silver　ring　had　slipped　down　to　his　shoulders　now；　shredding　the　flesh　away　as　it　fell；　like　an　apple　corer　punching　the　dead　spirit　out　of　the　rotting　corpse。

kerrigor　struggled　and　shrieked；　but　the　ring　bound　his　arms。　capering　madly；　he　threw　himself　from　side　to　side；　seeking　to　cast　off　the　silver　band　that　held　him鈥攐nly　causing　yet　more　flesh　to　fall　away；　till　no　flesh　remained；　nothing　but　a　raging　column　of　darkness；　constrained　by　a　silver　ring。

then　the　column　collapsed　upon　itself　like　a　demolished　building；　to　bee　a　mound　of　rippling　shadow；　the　silver　ring　shining　like　a　ribbon。　a　gleaming　red　eye　shone　amidst　the　silver鈥攂ut　that　was　only　the　ruby；　grown　to　match　the　metal。

there　were　charter　marks　on　the　ring　again；　but　sabriel　couldn鈥檛　read　them。　her　eyes　wouldn鈥檛　focus；　and　it　was　too　dark。　the　moonlight　　seemed　to　have　gone。　still；　she　knew　what　must　be　done。　saraneth鈥攈er　hand　crept　to　the　bandolier；　but　the　sixth　bell　wasn鈥檛　there鈥攐r　the　seventh；　or　the　third。　careless　of　me；　thought　sabriel；　careless鈥敗�but　i　must　plete　the　binding。　her　hand　fell　on　belgaer　for　a　moment；　and　almost　drew　it鈥攂ut　no；　that　would　be　release　。　。　。　finally；　she　drew　ranna；　whimpering　with　the　pain　of　even　that　small　movement。

ranna　was　unusually　heavy；　for　so　slight　a　bell。　sabriel　rested　it　against　her　chest　for　a　moment；　gathering　strength。　then；　lying　on　her　back；　transfixed　with　her　own　sword；　she　rang　the　bell。

ranna　sounded　sweet；　and　felt　forting；　like　a　long…expected　bed。　the　sound　echoed　through　the　hall；　and　out；　to　where　a　few　men　still　battled　with　the　dead。　all　who　heard　it　ceased　their　struggles；　and　lay　themselves　down。

the　badly　wounded　slipped　easily　into　death；　joining　the　dead　who　had　followed　kerrigor；　those　less　hurt　fell　into　a　healing　sleep。

the　mound　of　darkness　that　had　been　kerrigor　split　into　two　distinct　hemispheres；　bounded　by　an　equatorial　ring　of　silver。　one　hemisphere　was　as　black　as　coal；　the　other　a　gleaming　white。

gradually；　they　melted　into　two　distinct　forms鈥敗�two　cats；　joined　at　the　throat　like　siamese　twins。

then　the　silver　ring　split　in　two；　a　ring　around　each　neck；　and　the　cats　separated。　the　rings　lost　their　brilliance；　slowly　changing　color　and　texture　till　they　were　red　leather　bands；　each　supporting　a　miniature　bell；　a　miniature　ranna。

two　small　cats　sat　side　by　side。　one　black；　one　white。　both　leaned　forward；　throats　moving；　and　each　spat　up　a　silver　ring。　the　cats　yawned　as　the　rings　rolled　towards　sabriel；　then　curled　up　and　went　to　sleep。

touchstone　watched　the　rings　roll　through　the　dust；　silver　flashing　in　the　moonlight。　they　hit　sabriel鈥檚　side；　but　she　didn鈥檛　pick　them　up。　both　her　hands　still　clutched　ranna；　but　it　was　silent；　resting　below　her　breasts。　her　sword　loomed　above　her；　blade　and　hilt　casting　the　moonshadow　of　a　cross　upon　her　face。

something　from　his　childhood　memory　flashed　through　touchstone鈥檚　mind。　a　voice；　a　messenger鈥檚　voice；　speaking　to　his　mother。

鈥渉ighness；　we　bring　sorrowful　tidings。　the　abhorsen　is　dead。鈥�

epilogue　death　seemed　colder　than　ever　before；　sabriel　thought；　and　wondered　why；　till　she　realized　she　was　still　lying　down。

in　the　water；　being　carried　along　by　the　current。

for　a　moment；　she　started　to　struggle；　then　she　relaxed。

鈥渆veryone　and　everything　has　a　time　to　die　。　。　。鈥�

she　whispered。　the　living　world　and　its　cares　seemed　far　away。　touchstone　lived；　and　that　made　her　glad；　inasmuch　as　she　could　feel　anything。

kerrigor　was　defeated；　imprisoned　if　not　made　truly　dead。　her　work　was　done。　soon　she　would　pass　beyond　the　ninth　gate；　and　rest　forever　。　。　。

something　grabbed　her　arms　and　legs；　　picked　her　up　out　of　the　water　and　set　her　down　on　her　feet。

鈥渢his　is　not　your　time；鈥潯�said　a　voice；　a　voice　echoed　by　half　a　hundred　others。

sabriel　blinked；　for　there　were　many　shining　human　shapes　around　her；　hovering　above　the　water。　more　than　she　could　count。　not　dead　spirits；　but　something　else；　like　the　mothersending　called　by　the　paper　boat。　their　shapes　were　vague；　but　instantly　recognizable；　for　all　wore　the　deep　blue　with　the　silver　keys。　every　one　was　an　abhorsen。

鈥済o　back；鈥潯�they　chorused。　鈥済o　back。鈥�

鈥渋　can鈥檛；鈥潯�sobbed　sabriel。　鈥渋鈥檓　dead！　i　haven鈥檛　the　strength　。　。　。鈥�

鈥測ou　are　the　last　abhorsen；鈥潯�the　voices　whispered；　the　shining　shapes　closing　in。　鈥測ou　cannot　pass　this　way　until　there　is　another。　you　do　have　the　strength　within　you。　live；　abhorsen；　live　。　。　。鈥�

suddenly；　she　did　have　the　strength。　enough　to　crawl；　wade　and　fall　back　up　the　river；　and　gingerly　edge　back　into　life；　her　shining　escort　dropping　back　at　the　very　last。　one　of　them鈥敗�perhaps　her　father鈥攍ightly　touched　her　hand　in　the　instant　before　she　left　the　realm　of　death　behind。

a　face　swam　into　view鈥攖ouchstone鈥檚；　staring　down　at　her。　sound　hit　her　ears；　distant；　raucous　bells　that　seemed　out　of　place；　till　she　realized　they　were　ambulance　bells；　ambulances　racing　in　from　the　town。　she　could　sense　no　dead　at　all；　nor　feel　any　great　magic；　free　or　charter。　but　then；　kerrigor　was　gone；　and　they　were　nearly　forty　miles　from　the　wall　。　。　。

鈥渓ive；　sabriel；　live；鈥潯�touchstone　was　muttering；　holding　her　icy　hands；　his　own　eyes　so　clouded　with　tears　he　hadn鈥檛　noticed　hers　opening。

sabriel　smiled；　then　grimaced　as　the　pain　came　back。　she　looked　from　side　to　side；　wondering　how　long　it　would　take　touchstone　to　realize。

the　electric　lights　had　e　back　on　in　parts　of　the　hall；　and　soldiers　were　placing　lanterns　out　again。　there　were　more　survivors　than　she鈥檇　expected；　tending　to　the　wounded；　propping　up　dangerous　brickwork；　even　sweeping　up　the　brick…dust　and　grave　mold。

there　were　also　many　dead；　and　sabriel　sighed　as　she　let　her　senses　roam。　colonel　horyse；　killed　outside　on　the　steps；　magistrix　greenwood；　her　innocent　schoolfriend　ellimere；　six　other　girls；　at　least　half　the　soldiers　。　。　。

her　eyes　wandered　to　closer　regions；　to　the　two　sleeping　cats；　the　two　silver　rings　next　to　her　on　the　floor。

鈥渟abriel！鈥�

touchstone　had　finally　noticed。　sabriel　turned　her　gaze　back　to　him；　and　lifted　her　head　cautiously。

he鈥檇　removed　her　sword；　she　saw；　and　severa