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still he slipped away。 desperate； she grabbed him by the ears； and kissed him savagely； biting his lip； the salty blood filling both their mouths。 his eyes cleared； and she felt him concentrate again； concentrate on life； on living。
his sword fell； and he brought his arms up around her and returned her kiss。 then he put his head on her shoulder； and she on his； and they held each other tightly till the single note of astarael slowly died。
silence came at last。 gingerly； they let each other go。 touchstone shakily groped around for his sword； but sabriel lit a candle before he could cut his fingers in the dark。 they looked at each other in the flickering light。 sabriel鈥檚 eyes were wet； touchstone鈥檚 mouth bloody。
鈥渨hat was that？鈥潯ouchstone asked huskily。
鈥渁starael；鈥潯eplied sabriel。 鈥渢he final bell。 it calls everyone who hears it into death。鈥�
鈥渒errigor 。 。 。鈥�
鈥渉e鈥檒l e back；鈥潯hispered sabriel。 鈥渉e鈥檒l always e back； till his real body鈥檚 destroyed。鈥�
鈥測our father？鈥潯ouchstone mumbled。 鈥渕ogget？鈥�
鈥渄ad鈥檚 dead；鈥潯aid sabriel。 her face was posed； but her eyes overflowed into tears。 鈥渉e鈥檒l go quickly beyond the final gate。 mogget鈥攊 don鈥檛 know。鈥�
she fingered the silver ring on her hand； frowned； and bent to pick up the sword she鈥檇 taken from touchstone。
鈥渆 on；鈥潯he ordered。 鈥渨e have to get up to the west yard。 quickly。鈥�
鈥渢he west yard？鈥潯sked touchstone； retrieving his own sword。 he was confused and sick； but he forced himself up。 鈥渙f the palace？鈥�
鈥測es；鈥潯eplied sabriel。 鈥渓et鈥檚 go。鈥�
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chapter xxiv
銆傚皬％璇碸t*xt…澶ｅ爞
the sunshine was harsh to their eyes； for it was surprisingly only a little past noon。 they stumbled out onto the marble steps of the cave； blinking like nocturnal animals prematurely flushed out of an underground warren。
sabriel looked around at the quiet； sunlit trees； the placid expanse of grass； the clogged fountain。
everything seemed so normal； so far removed from the crazed and twisted chamber of horrors that was the reservoir； deep beneath their feet。
she looked at the sky； too； losing focus in the blue； retreating lines of clouds just edging about the fuzzy periphery of her vision。 my father is dead； she thought。 gone forever 。 。 。
鈥渢he road winds around the south…western part of palace hill；鈥潯 voice said； somewhere near her； beyond the blueness。
鈥渨hat？鈥�
鈥渢he road。 up to the west yard。鈥�
it was touchstone talking。 sabriel closed her eyes； told herself to concentrate； to get a grip on the here and now。 she opened her eyes and looked at touchstone。
he was a mess。 face blood…streaked from his bleeding lip； hair wet； plastered flat； armor and clothes darkly sodden。 water dripped down the sword he still held out； angled to the ground。
鈥測ou didn鈥檛 tell me you were a prince；鈥潯abriel said； in a conversational tone。 she might have been menting on the weather。 her voice sounded strange in her own ears； but she didn鈥檛 have the energy to do anything about it。
鈥渋鈥檓 not；鈥潯ouchstone replied； shrugging。 he looked up at the sky while he spoke。 鈥渢he queen was my mother； but my father was an obscure northern noble； who 鈥榯ook up with her鈥櫋 few years after her consort鈥檚 death。 he was killed in a hunting accident before i was born 。 。 。 look； shouldn鈥檛 we be going？ to the west yard？鈥�
鈥渋 suppose so；鈥潯abriel said dully。 鈥渇ather said there will be a paperwing waiting for us there； and the clayr； to tell us where to go。鈥�
鈥渋 see；鈥潯aid touchstone。 he came closer； and peered at sabriel鈥檚 vacant eyes； then took her unresisting and oddly floppy arm； and steered her towards the line of beech trees that marked a path to the western end of the park。 sabriel walked obediently； increasing her pace as touchstone sped up； till they were practically jogging。 touchstone was pushing on her arm； with many backward glances； sabriel moving with a sleepwalker鈥檚 jerky animation。
a few hundred yards from the ornamental caves； the beeches gave way to more lawn； and a road started up the side of palace hill； switchbacking twice to the top。
the road was well paved； but the flagstones had pushed up； or sunk down； over two decades without maintenance； and there were some quite deep ruts and holes。 sabriel caught her foot in one and she almost fell； touchstone just catching her。 but this small shock seemed to break her from the effects of the larger shock； and she found a new alertness cutting through her dumb despair。
鈥渨hy are we running？鈥�
鈥渢hose scavengers are following us；鈥�
touchstone replied shortly； pointing back through the park。 鈥渢he ones who had the children at the gate。鈥�
sabriel looked where he pointed and； sure enough； there were figures slowly moving through the beech…lined path。 all nine were there； close together； laughing and talking。
they seemed confident sabriel and touchstone could not escape them； and their mood looked to be that of casual beaters； easily driving their stupid prey to a definite end。 one of them saw sabriel and touchstone watching and used a gesture that distance made unclear； but was probably obscene。 laughter carried to them； borne by the breeze。 the men鈥檚 intentions were clear。 hostile。
鈥渋 wonder if they deal with the dead；鈥�
sabriel said bleakly； revulsion in those words。
鈥渢o do their deeds when sunlight lends its aid to the living 。 。 。鈥�
鈥渢hey mean no good； anyway；鈥潯aid touchstone； as they set off again； building up from a fast walk to a jog。 鈥渢hey have bows and i bet they can shoot； unlike the villagers of nestowe。鈥�
鈥測es；鈥潯eplied sabriel。 鈥渋 hope there is a paperwing up there 。 。 。鈥�
she didn鈥檛 need to expand upon what would happen if it wasn鈥檛。 neither of them were in any shape for fighting； or much charter magic； and nine bowmen could easily finish them off鈥攐r capture them。 if the men were working for kerrigor； it would be capture； and the knife； down in the dark of the reservoir 。 。 。
the road grew steeper； and they jogged in silence； breath ing fast and ragged； with none to spare for words。 touchstone coughed； and sabriel looked at him with concern； till she realized she was coughing too。 the shape they were in； it might not take an arrow to finish matters。
the hill would do it anyway。
鈥渘ot 。 。 。 much 。 。 。 further；鈥潯ouchstone gasped as they turned at the switchback； tired legs gaining a few seconds of relief on the flat； before starting the next incline。
sabriel started to laugh； a bitter； coughing laugh； because it was still a lot further。 the laugh became a shocked cry as something struck her in the ribs like a sucker punch。 she fell sideways； into touchstone； carrying both of them down onto the hard flagstones。 a long…shot arrow had found its mark。
鈥渟abriel！鈥潯ouchstone shouted； voice high with fear and anger。 he shouted her name again； and then sabriel suddenly felt charter magic explode into life within him。 as it grew； he leapt up； and thrust his arms out and down towards the enemy； towards that over…gifted marksman。
eight small suns flowered at his fingertips； grew to the size of his clenched fists； and shot out； leaving white trails of after…image in the air。 a split second later； a scream from below testified to their finding at least one target。
numbly； sabriel wondered how touchstone could possibly still have the strength for such a spell。 wonder became surprise as he suddenly bent and lifted her up； pack and all； cradling her in his arms鈥攁ll in one easy motion。 she screamed a little as the arrow shifted in her side； but touchstone didn鈥檛 seem to notice。 he threw his head back； roared out an animal…like challenge； and started to run up the road； gathering speed from an ungainly lurch to an inhuman sprint。 froth burst from his lips； blowing out over his chin and onto sabriel。 every vein and muscle in his neck and face corded out； and his eyes went wild with unseeing energy。
he was berserk； and nothing could stop him now； save total dismemberment。 sabriel shivered in his grasp and turned her face into his chest； too disturbed to look on the savage； snorting face that bore so little resemblance to the touchstone she knew。 but at least he was running away from the enemy 。 。 。
on he ran； leaving the road； climbing over the tumbled stones of what had once been a gateway； hardly pausing； jumping from one rock to another with goat…like precision。 his face was as bright red as a fire engine now； the pulse in his neck beating as fast as a hummingbird鈥檚 wings。
sabriel； forgetting her own wound in sudden fear that his heart would burst； started shouting at him； begging him to e out of the rage。
鈥渢ouchstone！ we鈥檙e safe！ put me down！ stop！ please； stop！鈥�
he didn鈥檛 hear her； his whole concentration bent on their path。 through the ruined gateway he ran； on along a walled path； nostrils wide； head darting from side to side like a scentfollowing hound。
鈥渢ouchstone！ touchstone！鈥潯abriel sobbed； beating on his chest with her hands。 鈥渨e鈥檝e got away！ i鈥檓 all right！ stop！ stop！鈥�
still he ran； through another arch； along a raised way； the stones falling away under his feet； down a short stair； jumping gaping holes。 a closed door halted him for a moment； and sabriel breathed a sigh of relief； but he kicked at it viciously； till the rotten wood collapsed and he could back through； carefully shielding sabriel from splinters。
beyond the door was a large； open field； bordered by tumbledown walls。 tall weeds covered the expanse； with the occasional stunted； selfsown tree rising above them。 right at the western edge； perched where a wall had long since crumbled down the hill； there were two paperwings； one facing south and the other north鈥攁nd two people； indistinct silhouettes bordered with the flaming orange of the afternoon sun that was sinking down behind them。
touchstone broke into a gait that could only be described as a gallop； parting the weeds like a ship ploughing a sargasso sea。 he ran right up to the two standing figures； gently placed sabriel on the ground before them鈥攁nd fell over； eyes rolling back to whiteness； limbs twitching。
sabriel tried to crawl over to him； but the pain in her side suddenly bit sharp and deadly； so it was all she could do to sit up and look at the two people； and beyond them； the paperwings。
鈥渉ello；鈥潯hey said； in unison。 鈥渨e are； for the moment； the clayr。 you must be the abhorsen and the king。鈥�
sabriel stared； dry…mouthed。 the sun was in her eyes； making it hard for her to see them clearly。 young women； both； with long blond hair and bright； piercing blue eyes。 they wore white linen dresses； with long； open sleeves。
freshly pressed dresses that made sabriel feel extremely dirty and uncivilized； in her reservoirsoaked breeches and sweaty armor。 like their voices； their faces were identical。 very pretty。
twins。
they smiled； and knelt down； one by sabriel鈥檚 side； the other by touchstone鈥檚。 sabriel felt charter magic slowly welling up in them； like water rising in a spring鈥攖hen it flowed into her； taking away the hurt and pain of the arrow。
next to her； touchstone鈥檚 breath became less labored； and he sank into the easy quiet of sleep。
鈥渢hank you；鈥潯roaked sabriel。 she tried to smile； but seemed to have lost the knack of it。 鈥渢here are slavers 。 。 。 human allies of the dead 。 。 。 behind us。鈥�
鈥渨e know；鈥潯aid the duo。 鈥渂ut they are ten minutes behind。 your friend鈥攖he king鈥攔an very； very fast。 we saw him run yesterday。 or tomorrow。鈥�
鈥渁h；鈥潯aid sabriel； laboriously pushing herself up onto her feet； thinking of her father and what he had said about the clayr confusing their whens。 best to find out what she needed to know before things got really confusing。
鈥渢hank you；鈥潯he said again； for the arrow fell on the ground as she fully straightened up。 it was a hunting arrow； narrow…headed； not an armor…punching bodkin。 they had only meant to slow her down。 she shivered； and felt the hole between the armor plates。 the wound didn鈥檛 feel healed exactly鈥攋ust older； as if it had struck a week ago； instead of minutes。
鈥渇ather said you would be here 。 。