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sabriel said bleakly。 “as far as i know； he is the only dead spirit to also be a free magic adept。”
“and a renegade member of the royal family；”
added touchstone； his voice still harsh and dry from the cold winds of their flight； unquenched by tea。 “and he is no longer imprisoned。 he walks in life。”
“all these things give him power；” sabriel continued。
“but there is a weakness there； too。
kerrigor’s mastery of free magic； and much of his power in both life and death； is dependent on the continual existence of his original body。 he hid it； long ago； when he first chose to bee a dead spirit—and he hid it in ancelstierre。 near the village of wyverley； to be exact。”
“and now he’s ing to fetch it 。 。 。” said horyse； with terrible prescience。 outwardly； he looked calm； all those long years of army service forming a hard carapace； containing his feelings。
inwardly； he felt a trembling that he hoped wasn’t being transmitted to the mug in his hand。
“when will he e？”
“with the night；” replied sabriel。 “with an army of the dead。 if he can emerge out of death close to the wall； he may e earlier。”
‘‘the sun—” horyse began。
“kerrigor can work the weather； bring fog or dense cloud。”
“so what can we do？” asked horyse； turning his palms outwards； towards sabriel； his eyes questioning。 “abhorsen。”
sabriel felt a weight placed upon her； a burden adding to the weariness that already pressed upon her； but she forced herself to answer。
“kerrigor’s body is in a spelled sarcophagus under a cairn； a cairn atop a little hill called docky point； less than forty miles away。 we need to get there quickly—and destroy the body。”
“and that will destroy kerrigor？”
‘‘no；” said sabriel； shaking her head wistfully。
“but it will weaken him 。 。 。 so there may be a chance 。 。 。”
“right；” said horyse。 “we’ve still got three or four hours of daylight； but we’ll need to move quickly。 i take it that kerrigor and his 。 。 。
forces 。 。 。 will have to cross the wall here？ they can’t just pop out at docky point？”
“no；” agreed sabriel。 “they’ll have to emerge in life in the old kingdom； and physically cross the wall。 it would probably be best not to try and stop him。”
“i’m afraid we can’t do that。” replied horyse。
“that’s what the perimeter garrison is here for。”
“a lot of your soldiers will die to no purpose then；” said touchstone。 “simply because they’ll be in the way。 anything； and anybody； that gets in kerrigor’s way will be destroyed。”
“so you want us to just let this 。 。 。 this thing and a horde of dead descend on ancelstierre？”
“not exactly；” replied sabriel。 “i would like to fight him at a time and a place more of our choosing。 if you lend me all the soldiers here who have the charter mark； and a little charter magic； we may have enough time to destroy kerrigor’s body。 also； we will be almost thirtyfive miles from the wall。 kerrigor’s power may only be slightly lessened； but many of his minions will be weaker。 perhaps so weak； that destroying or damaging their physical forms will be sufficient to send them back into death。”
“and the rest of the garrison？ we’ll just stand aside and let kerrigor and his army through the perimeter？”
“you probably won’t have a choice。”
“i see；” muttered horyse。 he got up； and paced backwards and forwards； siteps； all the dugout would allow。 “fortunately； or unfortunately perhaps—i am currently acting as the general officer manding the whole perimeter。
general ashenber has returned south； due to 。 。 。 ah 。 。 。 ill health。 a temporary situation only—army hq is loath to give any sort of higher mand to those of us who wear the charter mark。 so the decision is mine 。 。 。”
he stopped pacing； and stared back at sabriel and touchstone—but his eyes seemed to see something well beyond them and the rusty corrugated iron that walled the dugout。 finally； he spoke。
“very well。 i will give you twelve charter mages—half of the full plement of the scouts—but i will also add some more mundane force。 a detachment to escort you to 。 。 。 what was it？ docky point。 but i can’t promise we won’t fight on the perimeter。”
“we need you； too； colonel；” sabriel said； in the silence that followed his decision。 “you’re the strongest charter mage the garrison has。”
“impossible！” horyse exclaimed emphatically。
“i’m in mand of the perimeter。 my responsibilities lie here。”
“you’ll never be able to explain tonight； anyway；”
sabriel said。 “not to any general down south； or to anyone who hasn’t crossed the wall。”
“i’ll 。 。 。 i’ll think about it while you have something to eat；” horyse declared； the rattle of a tray and plates tactfully announcing the arrival of a mess orderly on the steps。 “e in！”
the orderly entered； steam rising around the edges of the silver dishes。 as he put the tray down； horyse strode out past him； bellowing。
“messenger！ i want the adjutant； major tindall and the csm from ‘a’ pany； lieutenant aire from the scouts； the rsm and the quartermaster。 in the operations room in ten minutes。 oh 。 。 。 call in the transport officer too。 and warn the signals staff to stand by for coding。”
/d/
chapter xxvi
？小｜说网
everything moved rapidly after the tea was drunk。 almost too rapidly for the exhausted sabriel and touchstone。 judging from the noises outside； soldiers were rushing about in all directions； while they ate their belated lunch。 then； before they could even begin to digest； horyse was back； telling them to get moving。
it was somewhat like being a bit player in the school play； sabriel thought； as she stumbled out of the munication trench and onto the parade ground。 there was an awful lot happening around her； but she didn’t really feel part of it。 she felt touchstone lightly brush her arm； and smiled at him reassuringly—it had to be even worse for him。
within minutes； they were hustled across the parade ground； towards a waiting line of trucks； an open staff car and two strange steelplated contraptions。 lozenge…shaped； with gun turrets on either side； and caterpillar tracks。
tanks； sabriel reali