above . o a discordant, grating, but energetic tone. Sabriel found oerfall, despite all s to keep still. A force like ted giant moved  ep forward.

    At time, erfall of te. , and retc still Sabriel stepped on, till so ters, the bells filling her ears, forcing her onwards.

    t foring o t. ter embraced on te.

    “ell done,” said Ab and e coy. “Once trapped, it o send t o Life, before Kerrigor can complete hink. Come on!”

    ly. Sabriel follo ions bursting up in  looking at  tures, t tubble just s of clote  of silver keys.  quite as tall as she remembered.

    “Fatrying to talk, keep up c time. “ is  is Kerrigor’s plan? I don’t understand.  I broughings?”

    “ slowing.

    “In Death?”

    “You knoested Sabriel.

    “t be t  hing works! hy! hy?”

    “t I sent you to Ancelstierre for to keep you safe. I  your moto keep you safe in to keep you eit our ically a prisoner. I couldn’t keep you ting , to do so.

    t good ime— kno I do now.”

    “hy?” asked Sabriel.

    “Kerrigor’s body,” replied Abo give ruly dead because ’s like an anc alones  body—but none of us ever found it, including me, because ed it is in Ancelstierre. Obviously, someed it by no o it o do the spell, or shall I?”

    te.   for  immediately spoke t strange ant, like a far-off observer.

    Steps rose before tting terfall and t. Abook t a time, s s tiredness in ed muscles.

    “Ready to run?” asked Abook  teps and  into ted mists, a curiously formal gesture t r