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ond the ninth gate。 when i was sixteen i stalked and banished a mordicant that came near the school。 a weakened mordicant； but still 。 。 。 a year ago； i turned the final page of the book of the dead。 i don鈥檛 feel young anymore。鈥�
鈥渋 am sorry for that；鈥潯aid the colonel； then； almost as if he had surprised himself； he added； 鈥渁h； i mean that i wish you some of the foolish joys my daughter has鈥攕ome of the lightness； the lack of responsibility that goes with youth。 but i don鈥檛 wish it if it will weaken you in the times ahead。 you have chosen a difficult path。鈥�
鈥溾�榙oes the walker choose the path； or the path the walker？鈥欌�潯abriel quoted； the words； redolent with echoes of charter magic； twining around her tongue like some lingering spice。 those words were the dedication in the front of her almanac。
they were also the very last words； all alone on the last page； of the book of the dead。
鈥渋鈥檝e heard that before；鈥潯emarked horyse。
鈥渨hat does it mean？鈥�
鈥渋 don鈥檛 know；鈥潯aid sabriel。
鈥渋t holds power when you say it；鈥潯dded the colonel slowly。 he swallowed； open…mouthed； as if the taste of the charter marks was still in the air。 鈥渋f i spoke those words； that鈥檚 all they would be。 just words。鈥�
鈥渋 can鈥檛 explain it。鈥潯abriel shrugged； and attempted a smile。 鈥渂ut i do know other sayings that are more to the point at the moment； like： 鈥榯raveler； embrace the morning light； but do not take the hand of night。鈥櫋 must be on my way。鈥�
horyse smiled at the old rhyme； so beloved of grandmothers and nannies； but it was an empty smile。 his eyes slid a little away from sabriel鈥檚 and she knew that he was thinking about refusing to let her cross the wall。 then he sighed； the short； huffy sigh of a man who is forced into a course of action through lack of alternatives。
鈥測our papers are in order；鈥潯e said； meeting her gaze once again。 鈥渁nd you are the daughter of abhorsen。 i cannot do other than let you pass。
but i can鈥檛 help feeling that i am thrusting you out to meet some terrible danger。 i can鈥檛 even send a patrol out with you； since we have five full patrols already out there。鈥�
鈥渋 expected to go alone；鈥潯eplied sabriel。 she had expected that； but felt a tinge of regret。 a protective group of soldiers would be quite a fort。 the fear of being alone in a strange and dangerous land； even if it was her homeland； was only just below the level of her excitement。
it wouldn鈥檛 take much for the fear to rise over it。
and always； there was the picture of her father in her mind。 her father in trouble； trapped and alone in the chill waters of death 。 。 。
鈥渧ery well；鈥潯aid horyse。 鈥渟ergeant！鈥�
a helmeted head appeared suddenly around the doorway； and sabriel realized two soldiers must have been standing on guard outside the dugout； on the steps up into the munication trench。 she wondered if they鈥檇 heard。
鈥減repare a crossing party；鈥潯napped horyse。
鈥渁 single person to cross。 miss abhorsen； here。
and sergeant； if you or private rahise so much as talk in your sleep about what you may have heard here； then you鈥檒l be on gravedigging fatigues for the rest of your lives！鈥�
鈥測es； sir！鈥潯ame the sharp reply； echoed by the unfortunate private rahise； who； sabriel noted； did seem half…asleep。
鈥渁fter you； please；鈥潯ontinued horyse； gesturing towards the door。 鈥渕ay i carry your skis again？鈥�
the army took no chances when it came to crossing the wall。 sabriel stood alone under the great arch of the gate that pierced the wall； but archers stood or knelt in a reverse arrowhead formation around the gate； and a dozen swordsmen had gone ahead with colonel horyse。 a hundred yards behind her； past a zigzagged lane of barbed wire； two lewyn machine…gunners watched from a forward emplacement鈥攖hough sabriel noted they had drawn their swordbayonets and thrust them； ready for use； in the sandbags； showing little faith in their air…cooled …rounds…per…minute tools of destruction。
there was no actual gate in the archway； though rusting hinges swung like mechanical hands on either side and sharp shards of oak thrust out of the ground； like teeth in a broken jaw； testimony to some explosion of modern chemistry or magical force。
it was snowing lightly on the old kingdom side； and the wind channeled occasional snowflakes through the gate into ancelstierre； where they melted on the warmer ground of the south。
one caught in sabriel鈥檚 hair。 she brushed at it lightly； till it slid down her face and was captured by her tongue。
the cold water was refreshing and； though it tasted no different from any other melted snow she鈥檇 drunk； it marked her first taste of the old kingdom in thirteen years。 dimly； she remembered it had been snowing then。 her father had carried her through； when he first brought her south into ancelstierre。
a whistle alerted her； and she saw a figure appear out of the snow； flanked by twelve others； who drew up in two lines leading out from the gate。 they faced outwards； their swords shining； blades reflecting the light that was itself reflected from the snow。 only horyse looked inwards； waiting for her。
with her skis over her shoulder； sabriel picked her way among the broken timbers of the gate。
going through the arch； from mud into snow； from bright sun into the pallid luminescence of a snowfall； from her past into her future。
the stones of the wall on either side； and above her head； seemed to call a wele home； and rivulets of charter marks ran through the stones like rain through dust。
鈥渢he old kingdom weles you；鈥潯aid horyse； but he was watching the charter marks run on the stones； not looking at sabriel。
sabriel stepped out of the shadow of the gate and pulled her cap down； so the peak shielded her face against the snow。
鈥渋 wish your mission every success； sabriel；鈥�
continued horyse； looking back at her。 鈥渋 hope 。 。 。 hope i see both you and your father before too long。鈥�
he saluted； turned smartly to his left； and was gone； wheeling around her and marching back through the gate。 his men peeled off from the line and followed。 sabriel bent down as they