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re connected。
once again； the message came； and sabriel listened。
then； brushing back her starting tears； she walked on； up the path； away from the bridge and the dead； up towards cloven crest and the broken charter stone。
the bluffs parted and； in the sky above； stars started to twinkle； as the wind grew braver and swept the snow clouds before it into the west。
the new moon unveiled itself and swelled in brightness； till it cast shadows on the snowflecked ground。
。。
chapter v
小说
it was no more than a halfhour’s steady climb to the flat top of cloven crest； though the path grew steeper and more difficult。 the wind was strong now and had cleared the sky； the moonlight giving form to the landscape。 but without the clouds； it had grown much colder。
sabriel considered a charter…spell for warmth； but she was tired； and the effort of the spell might cost more than the gain in warmth。 she stopped instead and shrugged on a fleece…lined oilskin that had been handed down from her father。 it was a bit worn and too large； needing severe buckling…in with her sword…belt and the baldric that held the bells； but it was certainly windproof。
feeling relatively warmer； sabriel resumed climbing up the last； winding portion of the path； where the incline was so steep the pathmakers had resorted to cutting steps out of the granite—steps now worn and crumbling； prone to sliding away underfoot。
so prone to sliding； that sabriel reached the top without realizing it； head down； her eyes searching in the moonlight for the solid part of the next step。 her foot was actually halfway up in the air before she realized that there wasn’t a next step。
cloven crest lay before her。 a narrow ridge where several slopes of the hill met to form a miniature plateau； with a slight depression in the middle。 snow lay in this depression； a fat； cigarshaped drift； bright in the moonlight； stark white against the red granite。 there were no trees； no vegetation at all； but in the very center of the drift； a dark grey stone cast a long moonshadow。
it was twice sabriel’s girth and three times her height； and looked whole till she walked closer and saw the zigzag crack that cut it down the middle。
sabriel had never seen a true charter stone before； but she knew they were supposed to be like the wall； with charter marks running like quicksilver through the stone； forming and dissolving； only to re…form again； in a neverending story that told of the making of the world。
there were charter marks on this stone； but they were still； as frozen as the snow。 dead marks； nothing more than meaningless inscriptions； carved into a sculptured stone。
it wasn’t what sabriel had expected； though she now realized that she hadn’t thought about it properly。 she’d thought of lightning or suchlike as the splitter of the stone； but forgotten lessons remembered too late told her that wasn’t so。 only some terrible power of free magic could split a charter stone。
she walked closer to the stone； fear rising in her like a toothache in its first growth； signaling worse to e。 the wind was stronger and colder； too； out on the ridge； and the oilskin seemed less forting； as its memories of her father brought back remembrance of certain pages of the book of the dead and tales of horror told by little girls in the darkness of their dormitory； far from the old kingdom。
fears came with these memories； till sabriel wrestled them to the back of her mind； and forced herself closer to the stone。
dark patches of 。 。 。 something 。 。 。 obscured some of the marks； but it wasn’t until sabriel pushed her face almost to the stone that she could make out what they were； so dull and black in the moonlight。
when she did see； her head snapped up； and she stumbled backwards； almost overbalancing into the snow。 the patches were dried blood； and when she saw them； sabriel knew how the stone had been broken； and why the blood hadn’t been cleaned away by rain or snow 。 。 。 why the stone never would be clean。
a charter mage had been sacrificed on the stone。 sacrificed by a necromancer to gain access to death； or to help a dead spirit break through into life。
sabriel bit her lower lip till it hurt and her hands； almost unconsciously； fidgeted； halfdrawing charter marks in nervousness and fear。
the spell for that sort of sacrifice was in the last chapter of the book of the dead。 she remembered it now； in sickening detail。 it was one of the many things she seemed to have forgotten from that green…bound book—or had been made to forget。 only a very powerful necromancer could use that spell。 only a totally evil one would want to。 and evil breeds evil； evil taints places and makes them attractive to further acts of 。 。 。
“stop it！” whispered sabriel aloud； to still her mind of its imaginings。 it was dark； windy and getting colder by the minute。 she had to make a decision： to camp and call her guide； or to move on immediately in some random direction in the hope that she would be able to summon her guide from somewhere else。
the worst part of it all was that her guide was dead。 sabriel had to enter death； albeit briefly； to call and converse with the guide。 it would be easy to do so here； for the sacrifice had created a semi…permanent entry； as if a door had been wedged ajar。 but who knew what might be lurking； watching； in the cold river beyond。
sabriel stood for a minute； shivering； listening； every sense concentrated； like some small animal that knows a predator hunts nearby。 her mind ran through the pages of the book of the dead； and through the many hours she had spent learning charter magic from magistrix greenwood in the sunny north tower of wyverley college。
at the end of the minute； she knew that camping was out of the question。 she was simply too frightened to sleep anywhere near the ruined charter stone。 but it would be quicker to call her guide here—and the quicker she got to her father’s house； the sooner she could do something to help him； so a promise was called for。 she would protect herself with charter magic as best she could； enter death with all precaution； summon her guide； get directions and get out as quickly as poss