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g to bounce it out。 they looked anxiously at her as she passed。
the sarcophagus was just slipping off the ramp into the corridor ahead of her。 sabriel could easily have pushed past it； but she waited outside； looking out。 after a moment； she became aware that horyse was standing next to her； his face half…lit by the lanterns； half in shadow。
“the fog 。 。 。 the fog is almost at the gates；”
she said； too quickly to be calm。
“i know；” replied horyse； steadily。 “that firing was a picket。 six men and a corporal。”
sabriel nodded。 she had felt their deaths； like slight punches in her stomach。 already she was hardening herself not to notice； to wilfully dull her senses。 there would be many more deaths that night。
suddenly； she felt something that wasn’t a death； but things already dead。 she stood bolt upright； and exclaimed； “colonel！ the sun is truly down—and something’s ing； ing ahead of the fog！”
she drew her sword as she spoke； the colonel’s blade flickering out a second later。 the wiring party looked around； startled； then bolted for the steps and the corridor。 on either side of the door； two…man teams cocked the heavy； tripodmounted machine…guns； and laid their swords across the newly made sandbag walls。
“second floor； stand ready！” horyse shouted； and above her head； sabriel heard the bolts of fifty rifles working。 out of the corner of her eye； she saw two of the scouts step back outside； and take up position behind her； arrows nocked； bows ready。 she knew they were ready to snatch her inside； if it came to that 。 。 。
in the expectant quiet； there were only the usual sounds of the night。 wind in the big trees out past the school wall； starting to rise as the sky darkened。 crickets beginning to chirp。 then sabriel heard it—the massed grinding of dead joints； no longer joined by gristle； the padding of dead feet； bones like hobnails clicking through necrotic flesh。
“hands；” she said； nervously。 “hundreds of hands。”
even as she spoke； a solid wall of dead flesh hit the iron gates； throwing them over in a split second’s crash。 then vaguely human forms were everywhere； rushing towards them； dead mouths gulping and hissing in a ghastly parody of a war cry。
“fire！”
in the instant’s delay after this mand； sabriel felt the terrible fear that the guns wouldn’t work。 then rifles cracked； and the machine…guns beat out a terrible； barking roar； red tracer rounds flinging out； ricocheting from the paving in a crazy embroidery of terrible violence。 bullets tore dead flesh； splintered bone； knocked the hands down and over—but still they came； till they were literally torn apart； broken into pieces； hung up on the wire。
the firing slowed； but before it could entirely cease； another wave of hands came stumbling； crawling； running through the gateway； slipping； tumbling over the wall。 hundreds of them； so densely packed they crushed the wire and came on； till the last of them were mown down by the guns at the very foot of the front steps。 some； still with a slight vestige of human intelligence； retreated； only to be caught in great gouts of flame from white phosphorus grenades thrown out from the second floor。
“sabriel—get inside！” horyse ordered； as the last of the hands flopped and crawled in crazy circles； till more bullets thudded into them and made them still。
“yes；” replied sabriel； looking out at the carpet of bodies； the flickering fires from the lanterns and lumps of phosphorus burning like candles in some ghastly charnel house。 the stench of cordite was in her nose； through her hair； on her clothes； the machine…gun’s barrels glowing an evil red to either side of her。 the hands were already dead； but even so； this mass destruction made her sicker than any free magic 。 。 。
she went inside； sheathing her sword。 only then did she remember the bells。 possibly； she could have quelled that vast mob of hands； sent them peaceably back into death； without— but it was too late。 and what if she had been overmastered？ shadow hands would be next； she knew； and they could not be stopped by physical force； or her bells； unless they came in small numbers 。 。 。
and that was as likely as an early dawn 。 。 。
there were more soldiers in the corridor； but these were mailed and helmed； with large shields and broad…headed spears streaked with silver and the simplest charter marks； drawn in chalk and spit。 they were smoking； and drinking tea from the school’s second…best china。 sabriel realized they were there to fight when the guns failed。 there was an air of controlled nervousness about them—not bravado exactly； just a strange mixture of petence and cynicism。 whatever it was； it made sabriel walk casually among them； as if she were in no hurry at all。
“evening； miss。”
“good to hear the guns； hey？ practically never work up north！”
“won’t need us at this rate。”
“not like the perimeter； is it； ma’am？”
“good luck with the bloke in the metal cigar case； miss。”
“good luck to all of you；” replied sabriel； trying to smile in answer to their grins。 then the firing started again； and she winced； losing the smile—but their attention was off her； focused back outside。 they weren’t nearly as casual as they pretended； sabriel thought as she edged through the side doors leading from the corridor into the great hall。
here； the mood was much more frightened。
the sarcophagus was up the far end of the hall； resting across the speaker’s dais。 everyone else was as far away as possible up at the other end。
the scouts were on one side； also drinking tea。 magistrix greenwood was talking to touchstone in the middle； and the thirty or so girls—young women； really—were lined up on the opposite wall to the soldiers。 it was all rather like a bizarre parody of a school dance。
behind the thick stone walls and shuttered windows of the great hall； the gunfire could almost be mistaken for extremely heavy hail； with grenades for thunderclaps； but not if you knew what it was。 sabriel walked into the center of the hall； and shouted。
“charter mages！ please e here。”
they came； the young women quicker than the soldiers； who were showing the weariness