《Sabriel (The Abhorsen Trilogy)》第86章

es　whispered。　they　kept　their　agony　close；　as　if　a　scream　might　attract　the　wrong　attention。　there　were　things　worse　than　death　in　the　hall　。　。　。
even　in　darkness；　the　form　of　kerrigor　was　darker　still。　sabriel　watched　him　carefully；　undoing　the　straps　that　held　saraneth　and　kibeth　with　her　left　hand。　she　sensed　other　dead　all　around；　but　none　entered　the　hall。
there　were　still　men　to　fight；　or　feast　upon。
what　went　on　in　the　hall　was　their　master’s　business。
the　straps　came　undone。　kerrigor　didn’t　move；　his　burning　eyes　closed；　his　fiery　mouth　shut。
in　one　quick　motion；　sabriel　sheathed　her sword；　and　drew　the　bells。
kerrigor　did　move　then。　swiftly；　his　dark　bulk　bounding　forward；　halving　the　gap　between　them。　he　grew　taller　too；　stretching　upwards　till　he　almost　reached　the　vaulted　ceiling。　his　eyes　opened　to　full；　raging；　flaming　fury；　and　he　spoke。
“toys；　abhorsen。　and　too　late。　much　too　late。”
it　was　not　just　words　he　spoke；　but　power；　free　magic　power　that　froze　sabriel’s　nerves；　caught　at　her　muscles。　desperately；　she　struggled　to　ring　the　bells；　but　her　wrists　were　locked　in　place　。　。　。
tantalizingly　slowly；　kerrigor　glided　forward；　till　he　was　a　mere　arm’s　length　away；　towering　over　her　like　some　colossal　statue　of　rough…hewn　night；　his　breath　rolling　down　on　her　with　the　stench　of　a　thousand　abattoirs。
someone—a　girl　quietly　coughing　out　her　last　breath　on　the　floor—touched　sabriel’s　ankle　with　a　light　caress。　a　small　spark　of　golden　charter　magic　came　from　that　dying　touch；　slowly　swelling　into　sabriel’s　veins；　traveling　upwards；　warming　joints；　freeing　muscles。　at　last　it　reached　her　wrists　and hands—and　the　bells　rang　out。
it　was　not　the　clear；　true　sound　it　should　be；　for　somehow　the　bulk　of　kerrigor　took　the　sound　in　and　warped　it—but　it　had　an　effect。
kerrigor　slid　back；　and　was　diminished；　till　he　was　little　more　than　twice　sabriel’s　height。
but　he　was　not　subject　to　sabriel’s　will。
saraneth　had　not　bound　him；　and　kibeth　had　only　forced　him　back。
sabriel　rang　the　bells　again；　concentrating　on　the　difficult　counterpoint　between　them；　forcing　all　her　will　into　their　magic。　kerrigor　would　fall　under　her　domination；　he　would　walk　where　she　willed　。　。　。
and　for　a　second；　he　did。　not　into　death；　for　she　lacked　the　power；　but　into　his　original　body；　inside　the　broken　sarcophagus。　even　as　the　chime　of　the　bells　faded；　kerrigor　changed。
fiery　eyes　and　mouth　ran　into　each　other　like　molten　wax；　and　his　shadow…stuff　folded　into　a　narrow　column　of　smoke；　roaring　up　into　the　ceiling。　it　hovered　among　the　rafters　for　a　moment；　then　descended　with　a　hideous　scream；　straight　into　the　rogir…body’s　open　mouth。
with　that　scream；　saraneth　and　kibeth　cracked；　shards　of　silver　falling　like　broken　stars； crashing　to　the　earth。　mahogany　handles　turned　to　dust；　drifting　through　sabriel’s　fingers　like　smoke。
sabriel　stared　at　her　empty　hands　for　a　second；　still　feeling　the　harsh　imprint　of　bell…handles　。　。　。
then；　without　any　conscious　thought；　there　was　a　sword　hilt　in　her　hand　as　she　advanced　upon　the　sarcophagus。　but　before　she　could　see　into　it；　rogir　stood　up　and　looked　at　her—looked　with　the　burning　fire…pit　eyes　of　kerrigor。
“an　inconvenience；”　he　said；　with　a　voice　that　was　only　marginally　more　human。　“i　should　have　remembered　you　were　a　troublesome　brat。”
sabriel　lunged　at　him；　sword　blowing　white　sparks　as　it　struck；　punching　through　his　chest　to　project　out　the　other　side。　but　kerrigor　only　laughed；　and　reached　down　till　he　held　the　blade　with　both　hands；　knuckles　pallid　against　the　silver…sparking　steel。　sabriel　tugged　at　the　sword；　but　it　would　not　e　free。
“no　sword　can　harm　me；”　kerrigor　said；　with　a　giggle　like　a　dying　man’s　cough。　“not　even　one　made　by　the　wallmakers。　especially　not　now；　when　i　have　finally　assumed　the　last　of　their　powers。　power　that　ruled　before　the　charter； power　that　made　the　wall。　i　have　it　now。　i　have　that　broken　puppet；　my　half…brother—and　i　have　you；　my　abhorsen。　power；　and　blood—　blood　for　the　breaking！”
he　reached　out；　and　pulled　the　sword　further　into　his　chest；　till　the　hilt　was　lodged　against　his　skin。　sabriel　tried　to　let　go；　but　he　was　too　quick；　one　chill　hand　clutching　her　forearm。　irresistibly；　kerrigor　drew　her　towards　him。
“will　you　sleep；　unknowing；　till　the　great　stones　are　ready　for　your　blood？”　whispered　kerrigor；　his　breath　still　reeking　of　carrion。　“or　will　you　go　waking；　every　step　of　the　way？”
sabriel　stared　back；　meeting　his　gaze　for　the　first　time。　surely；　there　in　the　hellfire　of　his　eyes；　she　could　see　the　faintest　spark　of　blazing　white？　she　unclenched　her　left　fist；　and　felt　the　silver　ring　slip　down　her　finger。　was　it　expanding？　“what　would　you　have；　abhorsen？”　continued　kerrigor；　his　mouth　peeling　back；　skin　already　breaking　at　the　corners；　the　spirit　within　corroding　even　this　magically　preserved　flesh。
“your　lover　crawls　towards　us—a　pathetic　sight—but　i　shall　have　the　next　kiss　。　。　。”
the　ring　was　hanging　in　sabriel’s　hand；　hidden　behind　her　back。　it　had　grown　larger—but　she could　still　feel　the　metal　expanding　。　。　。
kerrigor’s　blistered　lips　moved　towards　hers；　and　still　the　ring　moved　in　her　hand。　his　breath　was　overpowering；　reeking　of　blood；　but　she　had　long　gone　beyond　throwing　up。　she　turned　her　head　aside　at　the　last　second；　and　felt；　dry；　corpse…like　flesh　slide　across　her　cheek。
“a　sisterly　kiss；”　chuckled　kerrigor。　“a　kiss　for　an　uncle　who　has　known　you　since　birth—or　slightly　before—but　it　is　not　enough　。　。　。”
again；　his　words　were　not　just　words。　sabriel　felt　a　force　grip　her　head；　and　move　it　back　to　face　him；　while　her　mouth　was　wedged　apart；　as　if　in　passionate　expectation。
but　her　left　arm　was　free。
kerrigor’s　head　bent　forward；　his　face　looming　larger　and　larger—then　silver　flashed　between　them；　and　the　ring　was　around　his　neck。
sabriel　felt　the　pulsion　snap　off；　and　she　leant　back；　trying　to　hurl　herself　away。　but　kerrigor　didn’t　let　go　of　her　arm。　he　seemed　surprised；　but　not　anxious。　his　right　hand　went　up　to　touch　the　band；　fingernails　falling　as　he　did　so；　bone　already　pushing　through　at　t