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e to bee a dead spirit鈥攁nd he hid it in ancelstierre。 near the village of wyverley； to be exact。鈥�
鈥渁nd now he鈥檚 ing to fetch it 。 。 。鈥潯aid 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鈥檛 being transmitted to the mug in his hand。
鈥渨hen will he e？鈥�
鈥渨ith the night；鈥潯eplied sabriel。 鈥渨ith an army of the dead。 if he can emerge out of death close to the wall； he may e earlier。鈥�
鈥樷�榯he sun鈥斺�潯oryse began。
鈥渒errigor can work the weather； bring fog or dense cloud。鈥�
鈥渟o what can we do？鈥潯sked horyse； turning his palms outwards； towards sabriel； his eyes questioning。 鈥渁bhorsen。鈥�
sabriel felt a weight placed upon her； a burden adding to the weariness that already pressed upon her； but she forced herself to answer。
鈥渒errigor鈥檚 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鈥攁nd destroy the body。鈥�
鈥渁nd that will destroy kerrigor？鈥�
鈥樷�榥o；鈥潯aid sabriel； shaking her head wistfully。
鈥渂ut it will weaken him 。 。 。 so there may be a chance 。 。 。鈥�
鈥渞ight；鈥潯aid horyse。 鈥渨e鈥檝e still got three or four hours of daylight； but we鈥檒l need to move quickly。 i take it that kerrigor and his 。 。 。
forces 。 。 。 will have to cross the wall here？ they can鈥檛 just pop out at docky point？鈥�
鈥渘o；鈥潯greed sabriel。 鈥渢hey鈥檒l 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。鈥�
鈥渋鈥檓 afraid we can鈥檛 do that。鈥潯eplied horyse。
鈥渢hat鈥檚 what the perimeter garrison is here for。鈥�
鈥渁 lot of your soldiers will die to no purpose then；鈥潯aid touchstone。 鈥渟imply because they鈥檒l be in the way。 anything； and anybody； that gets in kerrigor鈥檚 way will be destroyed。鈥�
鈥渟o you want us to just let this 。 。 。 this thing and a horde of dead descend on ancelstierre？鈥�
鈥渘ot exactly；鈥潯eplied sabriel。 鈥渋 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鈥檚 body。 also； we will be almost thirtyfive miles from the wall。 kerrigor鈥檚 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。鈥�
鈥渁nd the rest of the garrison？ we鈥檒l just stand aside and let kerrigor and his army through the perimeter？鈥�
鈥測ou probably won鈥檛 have a choice。鈥�
鈥渋 see；鈥潯uttered horyse。 he got up； and paced backwards and forwards； six steps； all the dugout would allow。 鈥渇ortunately； or unfortunately perhaps鈥攊 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鈥攁rmy hq is loath to give any sort of higher mand to those of us who wear the charter mark。 so the decision is mine 。 。 。鈥�
he stopped pacing； and stared back at sabriel and touchstone鈥攂ut his eyes seemed to see something well beyond them and the rusty corrugated iron that walled the dugout。 finally； he spoke。
鈥渧ery well。 i will give you twelve charter mages鈥攈alf of the full plement of the scouts鈥攂ut i will also add some more mundane force。 a detachment to escort you to 。 。 。 what was it？ docky point。 but i can鈥檛 promise we won鈥檛 fight on the perimeter。鈥�
鈥渨e need you； too； colonel；鈥潯abriel said； in the silence that followed his decision。 鈥測ou鈥檙e the strongest charter mage the garrison has。鈥�
鈥渋mpossible！鈥潯oryse exclaimed emphatically。
鈥渋鈥檓 in mand of the perimeter。 my responsibilities lie here。鈥�
鈥測ou鈥檒l never be able to explain tonight； anyway；鈥�
sabriel said。 鈥渘ot to any general down south； or to anyone who hasn鈥檛 crossed the wall。鈥�
鈥渋鈥檒l 。 。 。 i鈥檒l think about it while you have something to eat；鈥潯oryse declared； the rattle of a tray and plates tactfully announcing the arrival of a mess orderly on the steps。 鈥渆 in！鈥�
the orderly entered； steam rising around the edges of the silver dishes。 as he put the tray down； horyse strode out past him； bellowing。
鈥渕essenger！ i want the adjutant； major tindall and the csm from 鈥榓鈥櫋any； 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。鈥�
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chapter xxvi
銆傚皬锛胯锛縯xt澶╁爞
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鈥檛 really feel part of it。 she felt touchstone lightly brush her arm； and smiled at him reassuringly鈥攊t 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 realized。 a relatively recent invention。 like the trucks； they were roaring； engines belching blue…grey smoke。 no problem now； sabriel thought； but the engines would stop when the wind blew in from the old kingdom。 or when kerrigor came 。 。 。
horyse led them to the staff car； opened the back door and gestured for them to get in。
鈥渁re you ing with us？鈥潯abriel asked； hesitantly； as she settled back in the heavily padded leather seats； fig