按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
with a practiced motion； she pushed one ski ahead； the opposite arm reaching forward with her pole； and slid forward； just as the last swordsman passed her on his way back through the gate。 he grinned as he passed by； but she didn’t notice； concentrating on building up the rhythm of her skis and poles。 within minutes； she was practically flying up the road； a slim； dark figure against the white of the ground。
？？
chapter iv
。
sabriel found the first dead ancelstierran soldier about six miles from the wall； in the last； fading hours of the afternoon。
the hill she thought was cloven crest was a mile or two to the north。 she’d stopped to look at its dark bulk； rising rocky and treeless from the snow…covered ground； its peak temporarily hidden in one of the light； puffy clouds that occasionally let forth a shower of snow or sleet。
if she hadn’t stopped； she would probably have missed the frosted…white hand that peeked out of a drift on the other side of the road。 but as soon as she saw that； her attention focused and sabriel felt the familiar pang of death。
crossing over； her skis clacking on bare stone in the middle of the road； she bent down and gently brushed the snow away。
the hand belonged to a young man； who wore a standard…issue coat of mail over an ancelstierran uniform of khaki serge。 he was blond and grey…eyed； and sabriel thought he had been surprised； for there was no fear in his frozen expression。 she touched his forehead with one finger； closed his sightless eyes； and laid two fingers against his open mouth。 he had been dead twelve days； she felt。 there were no obvious signs as to what had killed him。 to learn more than that； she would have to follow the young man into death。 even after twelve days； it was unlikely he had gone further than the fourth gate。 even so； sabriel had a strong disinclination to enter the realm of the dead until she absolutely had to。 whatever had trapped—or killed—her father could easily be waiting to ambush her there。 this dead soldier could even be a lure。
quashing her natural curiosity to find out exactly what had happened； sabriel folded the man’s arms across his chest； after first unclenching the grip that his right hand still had on his sword hilt—perhaps he had not been taken totally unawares after all。 then she stood and drew the charter marks of fire； cleansing； peace and sleep in the air above the corpse； while whispering the sounds of those same marks。 it was a litany that every charter mage knew； and it had the usual effect。 a glowing ember sparked up between the man’s folded arms； multiplied into many stabbing； darting flames； then fire whooshed the full length of the body。 seconds later it was out and only ash remained； ash staining a corselet of blackened mail。
sabriel took the soldier’s sword from the pile of ashes and thrust it through the melted snow； into the dark earth beneath。 it stuck fast； upright； the hilt casting a shadow like a cross upon the ashes。 something glinted in the shadow and； belatedly； sabriel remembered that the soldier would have worn an identity disc or tag。
shifting her skis again to rebalance she bent down and hooked the chain of the identity disc on one finger； pulling it up to read the name of the man who had met his end here； alone in the snow。 but both the chain and disc were machinemade in ancelstierre and so unable to withstand the charter magic fire。 the disc crumbled into ash as sabriel raised it to eye level and the chain fell into its ponent links； pouring between sabriel’s fingers like small steel coins。
“perhaps they’ll know you from your sword；”
said sabriel。 her voice sounded strange in the quiet of the snowy wilderness and； behind each word； her breath rolled out like a small； wet fog。
“travel without regret；” she added。 “do not look back。”
sabriel took her own advice as she skied away。
there was an anxiety in her now that had been mostly academic before and every sense was alert； watchful。 she had always been told that the old kingdom was dangerous； and the borderlands near the wall particularly so。 but that intellectual knowledge was tempered by her vague childhood memories of happiness； of being with her father and the band of travelers。
now； the reality of the danger was slowly ing home 。 。 。
half a mile on she slowed and stopped to look up at cloven crest again； neck cricked back to watch where the sun struck between the clouds； lighting up the yellow…red granite of the bluffs。
she was in cloud shadow herself； so the hill looked like an attractive destination。 as she looked； it started to snow again； and two snowflakes fell upon her forehead； melting into her eyes。 she blinked and the melted snow traced tear trails down her cheeks。 through misted eyes； she saw a bird of prey—a hawk or kite—launch itself from the bluffs and hover； its concentration totally centered upon some small mouse or vole creeping across the snow。
the kite dropped like a cast stone； and a few seconds later； sabriel felt some small life snuffed out。 at the same time； she also felt the tug of human death。 somewhere ahead； near where the kite dined； more people lay dead。
sabriel shivered； and looked at the hill again。
according to horyse’s map； the path to cloven crest lay in a narrow gully between two bluffs。
she could see quite clearly where it must be； but the dead lay in that direction。 whatever had killed them might also still be there。
there was sunlight on the bluffs； but the wind was driving snow clouds across the sun and sabriel guessed it was only an hour or so till dusk。 she’d lost time freeing the soldier’s spirit； and now had no choice but to hurry on if she wished to reach cloven crest before nightfall。
she thought about what lay ahead for a moment； then chose a promise between speed and caution。 stabbing her poles into the snow； she released her bindings； stepped out of her skis and then quickly fastened skis and poles together to be strapped diagonally across her backpack。 she tied them on carefully； remembering how they’d fallen and broken her charterspell on the parade ground—only that morning； but it seemed like weeks ago and a world away。