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e twelve scouts were grouped loosely around it； four of them already levering one of the corner stones out with a long crowbar； obviously carried up for this purpose。
as sabriel and touchstone came up； the stone fell with a thud； revealing more blocks underneath。
at the same time； every charter mage present felt a slight buzzing in their ears； and a wave of dizziness。
鈥渄id you feel that？鈥潯sked horyse； unnecessarily； as it was clear from everyone鈥檚 expressions and the hands that had gone to ears that they all had。
鈥測es；鈥潯eplied sabriel。 to a lesser extent； it was the same sort of feeling the broken stones caused in the reservoir。 鈥渋t will get worse； i鈥檓 afraid； as we get closer to the sarcophagus。鈥�
鈥渉ow far in is it？鈥�
鈥渇our blocks deep； i think；鈥潯aid sabriel。 鈥渙r five。 i 。 。 。 saw it 。 。 。 from an odd perspective。鈥�
horyse nodded； and indicated to the men to keep prying away the stones。 they went to it with a will； but sabriel noticed they kept looking at the position of the sun。 all the scouts were charter mages； of various power鈥攁ll knew what sundown would bring。
in fifteen minutes； they鈥檇 made a hole two blocks wide and two deep in one end； and the sickness was growing worse。 two of the younger scouts； men in their early twenties； had bee violently sick and were recuperating further down the hill。 the others were working more slowly； their energies directed to keeping lunches down and quelling shaking limbs。
surprisingly； given their lack of sleep and generally run…down state； sabriel and touchstone found it relatively easy to resist the waves of nausea emanating from the cairn。 it didn鈥檛 pare with the cold； dark fear of the reservoir； there on the hill； with the sunshine and the fresh breeze； warming and cooling at the same time。
when the third blocks came out； horyse called a brief rest break； and they all retreated down the hill to the tree line； where the cairn鈥檚 sickening aura dissipated。 the signalers had a telephone there； the handset sitting on the upturned drum。 horyse took it； but turned to sabriel before the signaler wound the charging handle。
鈥渁re there any preparations to be made before we remove the last blocks？ magical ones； i mean。鈥�
sabriel thought for a moment； willing her tiredness away； then shook her head。 鈥渋 don鈥檛 think so。 once we have access to the sarcophagus； we may have to spell it open鈥攊鈥檒l need everyone鈥檚 help for that。 then； the final rites on the body鈥攖he usual cremation spell。 there will be resistance then； too。 have your men often cast charter magic in concert？鈥�
鈥渦nfortunately； no；鈥潯eplied horyse； frowning。
鈥渂ecause the army doesn鈥檛 officially admit the existence of charter magic； everyone here is basically self…taught。鈥�
鈥渘ever mind；鈥潯abriel said； trying to sound confident； aware that everyone around her was listening。 鈥渨e鈥檒l manage。鈥�
鈥済ood；鈥潯eplied horyse； smiling。 that made him look very confident； thought sabriel。 she tried to smile too； but was uncertain about the result。 it felt too much like a grimace of pain。
鈥渨ell； let鈥檚 see where our uninvited guest has got to；鈥潯oryse continued； still smiling。 鈥渨here does this phone connect to； sergeant？鈥�
鈥渂ain police；鈥潯eplied the signals sergeant； winding the charging handle vigorously。 鈥渁nd army hq north； sir。 you鈥檒l have to ask corporal synge to switch you。 he鈥檚 on the board at the village。鈥�
鈥済ood；鈥潯eplied horyse。 鈥渉ello。 oh； synge？ put me through to bain。 no； tell north you can鈥檛 get through to me。 yes； that鈥檚 right； corporal。
thank you 。 。 。 ah 。 。 。 bainshire constabulary？ it鈥檚 colonel horyse。 i want to speak to chief superintendent dingley 。 。 。 yes。 hello； superintendent。 have you had any reports of a strange； dense fog 。 。 。 what！ already！ no； on no account investigate。 get everyone in。 shutter the windows 。 。 。 yes； the usual drill。 yes； whatever is in 。 。 。 yes； extraordinarily dangerous 。 。 。
hello！ hello！鈥�
he put the handset down slowly； and pointed back up the hill。
鈥渢he fog is already moving through the northern part of bain。 it must be going much faster。 is it possible that this kerrigor could know what we鈥檙e up to？鈥�
鈥測es；鈥潯eplied sabriel and touchstone； together。
鈥渨e鈥檇 better get a move on then；鈥潯oryse announced； looking at his watch。 鈥渋鈥檇 say we now have less than forty minutes。鈥�
w w w。 xiao shuotxt。 co m
chapter xxvii
锛堝皬锛忥紡璇达紡锛弔锛忥紡xt锝�//澶�//鍫傦級
the last blocks came away slowly； pulled out by sweating； white…faced men； their hands and legs shivering； breath ragged。 as soon as the way was clear； they staggered back； away from the cairn； seeking patches of sunlight to bat the dreadful chill that seemed to eat at their bones。 one soldier； a dapper man with a white…blond moustache； fell down the hill； and lay retching； till stretcher…bearers ran up to take him away。
sabriel looked at the dark hole in the cairn； and saw the faint； unsettling sheen from the bronze sarcophagus within。 she felt sick too； with the hair on the back of her neck frizzing up； skin crawling。 the air seemed thick with the reek of free magic； a hard； metallic taste in her mouth。
鈥渨e will have to spell it open；鈥潯he announced； with a sinking heart。 鈥渢he sarcophagus is very strongly protected。 i think 。 。 。 the best thing would be if i go in with touchstone taking my hand； horyse his； and so on； to form a line reinforcement of the charter magic。 does everyone know the charter marks for the opening spell？鈥�
the soldiers nodded； or said； 鈥測es； ma鈥檃m。鈥�
one said； 鈥測es； abhorsen。鈥�
sabriel looked at him。 a middle…aged corporal； with the chevrons of long service on his sleeve。 he seemed one of the least affected by the free magic。
鈥測ou can call me sabriel； if you want；鈥潯he said； strangely unsettled by what he had called her。
the corporal shook his head。 鈥渘o； miss。 i knew your dad。 you鈥檙e just like him。 the abhorsen； now。 you鈥檒l make this dead bugger鈥敗egging your pardon鈥攚ish he鈥檇 stayed properly bloody dead。鈥�
鈥渢hank you；鈥潯abriel replied； uncertainly。
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