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ther two candles。 she put one down near the first and took the other to light her way； walking around the destroyed paperwing； searching for any sign of mogget。 at the dismembered prow of the craft； she gently touched the eyes； wishing she could close them。
“i am sorry；” she whispered。 “perhaps i will be able to make a new paperwing one day。 there should be another； to carry on your name。”
“sentiment； abhorsen？” said a voice somewhere behind her； a voice that managed to sound like mogget and not at all like him at the same time。 it was louder； harsher； less human； and every word seemed to crackle； like the electric generators she’d used in wyverley college science classes。
“where are you？” asked sabriel； swiftly turning。
the voice had sounded close； but there was nothing visible within the sphere of candlelight。
she held her own candle higher； and transferred it to her left hand。
“here；” snickered the voice； and sabriel saw lines of white fire run out from under the ruined fuselage； lines that lit the paper laminate as they ran； so that； within a second； the paperwing was burning fiercely； yellow…red flames dancing under thick white smoke； totally obscuring whatever had emerged from under the stricken craft。
no death sense twitched； but sabriel could almost smell the free magic； tangy； unnatural； nerve…jangling； tainting the thick odor of natural smoke。 then she saw the white fire…lines again； streaming out； converging； roiling； ing together—and a blazing； blue…white creature stepped out from the funeral pyre of the paperwing。
sabriel couldn’t look at it directly； but from the corners of her arm…shielded eyes； she saw something human in shape； taller than her； and thin； almost starved。 it had no legs； the torso and head balanced upon a column of twisting； whirling force。
“free； save for the blood price；” it said； advancing。 all trace of mogget’s voice was lost now； submerged in zapping； crackling menace。
sabriel had no doubt about the meaning of a blood price and who would pay it。 summoning all her remaining energies； she called three charter marks to the forefront of her mind； and hurled them towards the thing； shouting their names。
“anet！ calew！ ferhan！”
the marks became silver blades as they left her hand； mind and voice； flashing through the air swifter than any thrown dagger—and went straight through the shining figure； apparently without effect。
it laughed； a series of rises and falls like a dog screaming in pain； and lazily slid forward。 its languid motion seemed to declare it would have no more trouble disposing of sabriel than it had in burning the paperwing。
sabriel drew her sword and backed away； determined not to panic as she had done when faced by the mordicant。 her head flicked backwards and forwards； neck pain forgotten； checking the ground behind her and marking her opponent。 her mind raced； considering options。
perhaps one of the bells—but that would mean dropping her candle。 could she count on the creature’s blazing presence to light her way？ almost as if it could read her mind； the creature suddenly started to lose its brilliance； sucking darkness into its swirling body like a sponge soaking up ink。 within a few seconds； sabriel could barely make it out—a fearful silhouette； back…lit by the orange glow of the burning paperwing。
desperately； sabriel tried to remember what she knew of free magic elementals and constructs。
her father had rarely mentioned them； and magistrix greenwood had only lightly delved into the subject。 sabriel knew the binding spells for two of the lesser kindred of free magic beings； but the creature before her was neither margrue nor stilken。
“keep thinking； abhorsen；” laughed the creature； advancing again。 “such a pity your head doesn’t work too well。”
“you saved it from not working forever；”
sabriel replied warily。 it had braked the paperwing； after all； so perhaps there was some good in it somewhere； some remnant of mogget； if only it could be brought out。
“sentiment；” the thing replied； still silently sliding forward。 it laughed again and a dark； tendril…like arm suddenly unleashed itself； snapping across the intervening space to strike sabriel across the face。
“a memory； now purged；” it added； as sabriel staggered back from a second attack； sword flashing across to parry。 unlike the silver spell darts； the charter…etched blade did connect with the unnatural flesh of the creature； but had no effect apart from jarring sabriel’s arm。
her nose was bleeding too； a warm and salty flow； stinging her wind…chafed lips。 she tried to ignore it； tried to use the pain of what was probably a broken nose to get her mind back to full operational speed。
“memories； yes； many memories；” continued the creature。 it was circling around her now； pushing her back the way they’d e； back towards the fading fire of the paperwing。 that would burn out soon； and then there would only be darkness； for sabriel’s candle was now a lump of blown…out wax； falling forgotten from her hand。
“millenia of servitude； abhorsen。 chained by trickery； treachery 。 。 。 captive in a repulsive； fixedflesh shape 。 。 。 but there will be payment； slow payment—not quick； not quick at all！”
a tendril lashed out； low this time； trying to trip her。 sabriel leapt over it； blade extended； lunging for the creature’s chest。 but it shimmied aside； extruding extra arms as she tried to jump back； catching her in mid…leap； drawing her close。
sword…arm pinioned at her side； it tightened its grip； till she was close against its chest； her face a finger…width from its boiling； constantly moving flesh； as if a billion tiny insects buzzed behind a membrane of utter darkness。
another arm gripped the back of her helmet； forcing her to look up； till she saw its head； directly above her。 a thing of most basic anatomy； its eyes were like the sinkhole； deep pits without apparent bottom。 it had no nose； but a mouth that split the horrid face in two； a mouth slightly parted to reveal the burning blue…white glare that it had first used as flesh。
all charter magic had fled from sabriel’s mind。 her sword was trapped； the bells lik