按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
ellow aviators； knights of the sky； or anything like that。”
jorbert nodded； unmilitarily； saluted； and turned on his heel。
“and don’t forget your sword next time you’re on duty； officer；” horyse called after him。
“hasn’t anyone told you your revolver might not work？”
jorbert nodded again； flushed； almost saluted； then scuttled off down the munication trench。 one of the soldiers in the forward observation post； a corporal with a full sleeve of chevrons denoting twenty years’ service； and a charter mark on his forehead to show his perimeter pedigree； shook his head at the departing back of the young officer。
“why are you shaking your head； corporal anshy？” snapped horyse； irked by his many interrupted shaves and this new and potentially dangerous appearance of an aircraft。
“water on the brain；” replied the corporal cheerfully—and rather ambiguously。 horyse opened his mouth to issue a sharp reprimand； then closed it as the corners of his mouth involuntarily inched up into a smile。 before he could actually laugh； he left the post； heading back to the trench junction where his section and the rsm would meet him to go beyond the wall。
within five paces； he’d lost his smile。
the paperwing slid to a perfect landing in a flurry of snow。 sabriel and touchstone sat in it； shivering under oilskin and boat cloak； respectively； then slowly levered themselves out to stand knee…deep in the tightly packed snow。
touchstone smiled at sabriel； his nose bright red and eyebrows frosted。
“we made it。”
“so far；” replied sabriel； warily looking around。 she could see the long grey bulk of the wall； with the deep honey…colored sun of autumn on the ancelstierran side。 here； the snow lay banked against the grey stone； and it was overcast； with the sun almost gone。 dark enough for the dead to be wandering around。
touchstone’s smile faded as he caught her mood； and he took his swords from the paperwing； giving the left sword to sabriel。 she sheathed it； but it was a bad fit—another reminder of loss。
“i’d better get the books； too；” she said； bending in to retrieve them from the cockpit。 the two charter magic books were fine； untouched by snow； but the book of the dead seemed wet。
when sabriel pulled it out； she found it wasn’t snow…wet。 beads of dark； thick blood were welling up out of its cover。 silently； sabriel wiped it on the hard crust of the snow； leaving a livid mark。 then she tucked the books away in the pockets of her coat。
“why 。 。 。 why was the book like that？” asked touchstone； trying； and almost succeeding； to sound curious rather than afraid。
“i think it’s reacting to the presence of many deaths；” sabriel replied。 “there is great potential here for the dead to rise。 this is a very weak point—”
“shhh！” touchstone interrupted her； pointing towards the wall。 shapes； dark against the snow； were moving in an extended line towards them； at a deliberate； steady pace。 they carried bows and spears； and sabriel； at least； recognized the rifles slung across their backs。
“it’s all right；” sabriel said； though a faint stab of nervousness touched her stomach。 “they’re soldiers from the ancelstierran side—still； i might send the paperwing on its way 。 。 。”
quickly； she checked that they’d taken everything from the cockpit； then laid her hand on the nose of the paperwing； just above its twinkling eye。 it seemed to look up at her as she spoke。
“go now； friend。 i don’t want to risk you being dragged into ancelstierre and taken apart。
fly where you will—to the clayr’s glacier； or； if you care to； to abhorsen’s house； where the water falls。”
she stepped back； and formed the charter marks that would imbue the paperwing with choice； and the winds to lift it there。 the marks went into her whistle； and the paperwing moved with the rising pitch； accelerating along till it leapt into the sky at the peak of the highest note。
“i say！” exclaimed a voice。 “how did you do that？”
sabriel turned to see a young； out…of…breath ancelstierran officer； the single gold pip of a second lieutenant looking lonely on his shoulderstraps。
he was easily fifty yards in front of the rest of the line； but he didn’t seem frightened。 he was clutching a sword and a revolver； though； and he raised both of them as sabriel stepped forward。
“halt！ you are my prisoners！”
“actually； we’re travelers；” replied sabriel； though she did stand still。 “is that colonel horyse i can see behind you？”
jorbert turned half around to have a look； realized his mistake； and turned back just in time to see sabriel and touchstone smiling； then chuckling； then out…and…out laughing； clutching at each other’s arms。
“what’s so funny？” demanded lieutenant jorbert； as the two of them laughed and laughed； till the tears ran down their cheeks。
“nothing；” said horyse； gesturing to his men to encircle sabriel and touchstone； while he went up and carefully placed two fingers on their foreheads—testing the charter they bore within。 satisfied； he lightly shook them； till they stopped their shuddering； gasping laughter。
then； to the surprise of some of his men； he put an arm around each of them and led them back to the crossing point； towards ancelstierre and sunshine。
jorbert； left to cover the withdrawal； indignantly asked the air； “what was so funny？”
“you heard the colonel；” replied regimental sergeant…major tawklish。 “nothing。 that was an hysterical reaction； that was。 they’ve been through a lot； those two； mark my words。”
then； in the way that only rsms have with junior officers； he paused； crushing jorbert pletely with a judicious； and long delayed “sir。”
the warmth wrapped sabriel like a soft blanket as they stepped out of the shadow of the wall； into the relative heat of an ancelstierran autumn。 she felt touchstone falter at her side； and stumble； his face staring blindly upwards to the sun。
“you both look done in；” said horyse； speaking in the kindly； slow tone he used on shellshocked soldiers。 “how about something to eat； or would you rather get some sleep first？”
“something to eat； certainly；” sabriel replied； trying to give him a grateful smile。 “but not sleep。 there’s no time for that。 tell me—when was the full moon？ two days ago？”
horyse looked at her； thinking that she no longer reminded him of his own daughter。
she had bee abhorsen； a person beyond his ken； in such a short time 。 。 。
“it’s tonight；” he said。
“but i’ve been in the old kingdom at least sixteen days 。 。 。”
“time is strange between the kingdoms；”
horyse said。 “we’ve had patrols swear they were out for two weeks； ing back in after eight days。 a headache for the paymaster 。 。 。”
“that voice； ing from the box on the pole；”
touchstone interrupted； as they left the zigzag path through the wire defenses and climbed down into a narrow munication trench。 “there is no charter magic in the box； or the voice 。 。 。”
“ah；” replied horyse； looking ahead to where a loudspeaker was announcing stand…down。 “i’m surprised it’s working。 electricity runs that； mr。
touchstone。 science； not magic。”
“it won’t be working tonight