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alized the soldiers must have forced their way through。 it was unusual for the gates to be locked before full dark。 they must have closed them when they heard the bells； sabriel realized； and that alerted her to something else 。 。 。
“the bell in the village；” she exclaimed； as the wagon passed several parked trucks and wheeled around to stop near the huge； gate…like doors to the main building of the school。 “the bell—it’s stopped。”
touchstone brought the wagon to a halt； and listened； cocking an ear towards the darkening sky。 true enough； they could no longer hear the wyverley village bell。
“it is a mile；” he said； hesitantly。 “perhaps we’re too far； the wind 。 。 。”
“no；” said sabriel。 she felt the air； cool with evening； still on her face。 there was no wind。
“you could always hear it here。 kerrigor has reached the village。 we need to get the sarcophagus inside； quickly！”
she jumped down from the wagon； and ran over to horyse； who was standing on the steps outside the partially open door； talking to an obscured figure within。 as sabriel got closer； edging through groups of waiting soldiers； she recognized the voice。 it was mrs。 umbrade； the headmistress。
“how dare you barge in here！” she was pronouncing； very pompously。 “i am a very close personal friend of lieutenant…general farnsley； i’ll have you know—sabriel！”
the sight of sabriel in such strange garb and circumstance seemed to momentarily stun mrs。
umbrade。 in that second of fish…mouthed silence； horyse motioned to his men。 before mrs。 umbrade could protest； they’d pushed the door wide open； and streams of armed men rushed in； pouring around her startled figure like a flood around an island。
“mrs。 umbrade！” sabriel shouted。 “i need to talk to miss greenwood urgently； and the girls from the senior magic classes。 you’d better get the rest of the girls and the staff up to the top floors of the north tower。”
mrs。 umbrade stood； gulping like a goldfish； till horyse suddenly loomed over her and snapped； “move； woman！”
almost before his mouth closed； she was gone。
sabriel looked back to check that touchstone was organizing the shifting of the sarcophagus； then followed her in。
the entrance hall was already blocked by a conga line of soldiers； passing boxes in from the trucks outside； stacking them up all along the walls。 khaki…colored boxes marked “。 ball”
or “be wp grenade；” piled up beneath pictures of prizewinning hockey teams； or giltlettered boards of merit and scholastic brilliance。
the soldiers had also thrown open the doors to the great hall； and were busy in there； closing shutters and piling pews up on their ends against the shuttered windows。
mrs。 umbrade was still in motion at the other end of the entrance hall； bustling along towards a knot of obviously nervous staff。 behind them； peering down from the main stair； was a solid rank of prefects。 behind them； higher up the stair； and just able to see； were several gaggles of nonprefectorial fifth and sixth formers。 sabriel didn’t doubt that the rest of the school would be lining the corridors behind them； all agog to hear what the motion was all about。
just as mrs。 umbrade reached her staff； all the lights went out。 for a moment； there was total； shocked quiet； then the noise redoubled。 girls screaming； soldiers shouting； crashes and bangs as people ran into things and each other。
sabriel stood where she was； and conjured the charter marks for light。 they came easily； flowing down to her fingertips like cool water from a shower。 she let them hang there for a moment； then cast them at the ceiling； drops of light that grew to the size of dinner plates and cast a steady yellow light all down the hall。 someone else was also casting similar lights down by mrs。
umbrade； and sabriel recognized the work of magistrix greenwood。 she smiled at that recognition； a slight； upturning of just one side of her mouth。 she knew the lights had gone out because kerrigor had passed the electric substation； and that was halfway between the school and the village。
as expected； mrs。 umbrade wasn’t telling her teachers anything useful—just going on about rudeness and some general。 sabriel saw the magistrix behind the tall； bent figure of the senior science mistress； and waved。
“and i was never more shocked to see one of our—” mrs。 umbrade was saying； when sabriel stepped up next to her and gently laid the marks of silence and immobility on the back of her neck。
“i’m sorry to interrupt；” sabriel said； standing next to the temporarily frozen form of the headmistress。
“but this is an emergency。 as you can see； the army is temporarily taking over。 i am assisting colonel horyse； who is in charge。 now； we need all the girls in the two senior magic classes to e down to the great hall—with you； magistrix greenwood； please。 everyone else—students； staff； gardeners； everyone—must go to the top floors of the north tower and barricade yourselves in。 till dawn tomorrow。”
“why？” demanded mrs。 pearch； the mathematics mistress。 “what’s all this about？”
“something has e from the old kingdom；” sabriel replied shortly； watching their faces change as she spoke。 “we will shortly be attacked by the dead。”
“so there will be danger to my students？”
miss greenwood spoke； pushing her way forward； between two frightened english teachers。
she looked sabriel in the face； as if in recognition； and then added； “abhorsen。”
“there will be danger to everyone；” sabriel said bleakly。 “but without the aid of the charter mages here； there isn’t even a chance 。 。 。”
“well；” replied miss greenwood； with some decision。 “we’d better get organized then。 i’ll go and fetch sulyn and ellimere。 i think they’re the only two charter mages among the prefects— they can organize the others。 mrs。 pearch； you’d better take charge of the 。 。 。 ah 。 。 。 evacuation to the north tower； as i imagine mrs。 umbrade will be 。 。 。 err 。 。 。 deep in thought。 mrs。 swann； you’d best round up cook and the maids—get some fresh water； food and candles； too。 mr。 arkler； if you would be so kind as to fetch the swords from the gymnasium 。 。 。”
seeing that all was under control； sabriel sighed； and quickly walked back outside； past soldiers stringing oil lamps up in the corridor。 despite them； it was still lighter outside； the sky washed red and orange with the last sunlight of the day。
touchstone and the scouts had the sarcophagus down； and roped up。 it now seemed to glow with its own； ugly inner light； the flickering free magic marks floating on the surface like scum； or clots in blood。 apart from the scouts pulling the ropes； no one went close to it。 soldiers were everywhere； coiling out barbed wire； filling sandbags from the rose gardens； preparing firing positions on the second floor； tying trip flares。
but in all this motion； there was an empty circle around the glistening coffin of rogir。
sabriel walked towards touchstone； feeling the reluctance in her legs； her body revolting at the thought of going any closer to the bloody luminescence of the sarcophagus。 it seemed to radiate stronger waves of nausea now； now that the sun had al