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gore crows didn’t last very long in sun and wind—these must have been made the previous night。 a necromancer had trapped quite ordinary crows； killing them with ritual and ceremony； before infusing the bodies with the broken； fragmented spirit of a single dead man or woman。 now they were truly carrion birds； birds guided by a single； if stupid； intelligence。
they flew by force of free magic； and killed by force of numbers。
despite her quickness in calling the wind； the flock was still closing rapidly。 they’d dived from high above and kept their speed； the wind stripping feathers and putrid flesh from their spellwoven bones。
for a moment； sabriel considered turning the paperwing back into the very center of this great murder of crows； like an avenging angel； armed with sword and bells。 but there were simply too many gore crows to fight； particularly from an aircraft speeding along several hundred feet above the ground。 one overeager sword thrust would mean a fatal fall—if the gore crows didn’t kill her on the way down。
“i’ll have to summon a greater wind！” she yelled at mogget； who was now sitting right up on her pack； fur bristling； yowling challenges at the crows。 they were very close now； flying in an eerily exact formation—two long lines； like arms outstretched to snatch the fleeing paperwing from the sky。 very little of their once…black plumage had survived their rushing dive； white bone shining through in the last light of the sun。
but their beaks were still glossily black and gleaming sharp； and sabriel could now see the red glints of the fragmented dead spirit in the empty sockets of their eyes。
mogget didn’t reply。 possibly； he hadn’t even heard her above his yowling； and the gore crows’ cawing as they closed the last few yards to attack； a strange； hollow sound； as dead as their flesh。
for a second of panic； sabriel felt her dry lips unable to purse； then she wet them and the whistle came； slow and erratic。 the charter marks felt clumsy and difficult in her head； as if she were trying to push a heavy weight on badly made rollers—then； with a last effort； they came easily； flowing into her whistled notes。
unlike her earlier； gradual summonings； this wind came with the speed of a slamming door； howling up behind them with frightening violence； picking up the paperwing and shunting it forward like a giant wave lifting up a slender boat。 suddenly； they were going so fast that sabriel could barely make out the ground below； and the individual islands of the delta merged into one continuous blur of motion。
eyes closed to protective slits； she craned her head around； the wind striking her face like a vicious slap。 the pursuing gore crows were all over the sky now； formation lost； like small black stains against the red and purple sunset。
they were flapping uselessly； trying to e back together； but the paperwing was already a league or more away。 there was no chance they could catch up。
sabriel let out a sigh of relief； but it was a sigh tempered with new anxieties。 the wind was carrying them at a fearful pace； and it was starting to veer northwards； which it wasn’t supposed to do。 sabriel could see the first stars twinkling now； and they were definitely turning towards the buckle。
it was an effort to call up the charter marks again； and whistle the spell to ease the wind； and turn it back to the east； but sabriel managed to cast it。 but the spell failed to work—the wind grew stronger； and shifted more； till they were careening straight towards the buckle； directly north。
sabriel； hunkered down in the cockpit； eyes and nose streaming and face frozen； tried again； using all her willpower to force the charter marks into the wind。 even to her； her whistle sounded feeble； and the charter marks once again vanished into what had now bee a gale。 sabriel realized she had totally lost control。
in fact； it was almost as if the spell had the opposite effect； for the wind grew wilder； snatching the paperwing up in a great spiral； like a ball thrown between a ring of giants； each one taller than the last。 sabriel grew dizzy； and even colder； and her breath came fast and shallow； trying to salvage enough air to keep her alive。 she tried to calm the winds again； but couldn’t gain the breath to whistle； and the charter marks slipped from her mind； till all she could do was desperately hang on to the straps in the hammock…seat as the paperwing tried its best to ride the storm。
then； without warning； the wind ceased its upward dance。 it just dropped； and with it went the paperwing。 sabriel fell upwards； straps suddenly tight； and mogget almost clawed through the pack in his efforts to stay connected with the aircraft。 jolted by this new development； sabriel felt her exhaustion burn away。 she tried to whistle the lifting wind； but it too was beyond her power。 the paperwing seemed unable to halt its headlong descent。 it fell； nose tilting further and further forward till they were diving almost vertically； like a hammer rushing to the anvil of the ground below。
it was a long way down。 sabriel screamed once； then tried to put some of her fear…found strength into the paperwing。 but the marks flowed into her whistle without effect； save for a golden sparkle that briefly illuminated her white； wind…frozen face。 the sun had pletely set； and the dark mass of the ground below looked all too much like the grey river of death—the river their spirits would cross into in a few short minutes； never to return to the warm light of life。
“loose my collar；” mewed a voice at sabriel’s ear； followed by the curious sensation of mogget digging his claws into her armor as he clambered into her lap。 “loose my collar！”
sabriel looked at him； at the ground； at the collar。 she felt stupid； starved of oxygen； unable to decide。 the collar was part of an ancient binding； a terrible guardian of tremendous power。 it would only be used to contain an inexpressible evil； or uncontrollable force。
“trust me！” howled mogget。 “loose my collar； and remember the ring！”
sabriel swallowed； closed her eyes； fumbled with the collar and prayed that she was doing the right thing。 “father； forgive me