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truly dead； the wind flutes will simply fall apart under the light of the next full moon。 if he is trapped before the ninth gate； the binding will continue until the full moon after he passes beyond； or a particularly strong spirit breaks the weakened bonds。鈥�
鈥渟o the moon will tell； in time；鈥潯aid horyse。
鈥渨e have fourteen days till it is full。鈥�
鈥渋t is possible i could bind the dead anew；鈥�
sabriel said cautiously。 鈥渋 mean； i haven鈥檛 done it on this sort of scale。 but i know how。 the only thing is； if father isn鈥檛 。 。 。 isn鈥檛 beyond the ninth gate； then i need to help him as soon as i can。 and before i can do that； i must get to his house and gather a few things 。 。 。 check some references。鈥�
鈥渉ow far is this house beyond the wall？鈥潯sked horyse； a calculating look on his face。
鈥渋 don鈥檛 know；鈥潯eplied sabriel。
鈥渨hat？鈥�
鈥渋 don鈥檛 know。 i haven鈥檛 been there since i was about four。 i think it鈥檚 supposed to be a secret。
father had many enemies； not just among the dead。 petty necromancers； free magic sorcerers； witches鈥斺��
鈥測ou don鈥檛 seem disturbed by your lack of directions；鈥潯nterrupted the colonel dryly。 for the first time； a hint of doubt； even fatherly condescension； had crept into his voice； as if sabriel鈥檚 youth undermined the respect due to her as both a charter mage and necromancer。
鈥渇ather taught me to how to call a guide who will give me directions；鈥潯eplied sabriel coolly。
鈥渁nd i know it鈥檚 less than four days鈥櫋ravel away。鈥�
that silenced horyse； at least for the moment。
he nodded and； standing cautiously； so his head didn鈥檛 hit the exposed beams of the dugout； he walked over to a steel filing cabinet that was rusting from the dark brown mud that oozed between the pale planks of the revetment。
opening the cabinet with a practiced heave of considerable force； he found a mimeographed map and rolled it out on the table。
鈥渨e鈥檝e never been able to get our hands on a genuine old kingdom map。 your father had one； but he was the only person who could see anything on it鈥攊t just looked like a square of calfskin to me。 a small magic； he said； but since he couldn鈥檛 teach it； perhaps not so small 。 。 。
anyway； this map is a copy of the latest version of our patrol map； so it only goes out about ten miles from the crossing point。 the garrison standing orders strictly forbid us to go further。
patrols tend not to e back beyond that distance。
maybe they desert； or maybe 。 。 。鈥�
his tone of voice suggested that even nastier things happened to the patrols； but sabriel didn鈥檛 question him。 a small portion of the old kingdom lay spread out on the table and； once again； excitement stirred up within her。
鈥渨e generally go out along the old north road；鈥潯aid horyse； tracing it with one hand； the sword calluses on his fingers rasping across the map； like the soft sandpapering of a master craftsman。 鈥渢hen the patrols sweep back； either south…east or south…west； till they hit the wall。
then they follow that back to the gate。鈥�
鈥渨hat does this symbol mean？鈥潯sked sabriel； pointing to a blacked…in square atop one of the farther hills。
鈥渢hat鈥檚 a charter stone；鈥潯eplied the colonel。
鈥渙r part of one now。 it was riven in two； as if struck by lightning； a month or so ago。 the patrols have started to call it cloven crest； and they avoid it if possible。 its true name is barhedrin hill and the stone once carried the charter for a village of the same name。 before my time； anyway。 if the village still exists it must be further north； beyond the reach of our patrols。 we鈥檝e never had any reports of inhabitants from it ing south to cloven crest。 the fact is； we have few reports of people； fullstop。
the garrison log used to show considerable interaction with old kingdom people鈥攆armers； merchants； travelers and so on鈥攂ut encounters have bee rarer over the last hundred years； and very rare in the last twenty。 the patrols would be lucky to see even two or three people a year now。 real people that is； not creatures or free magic constructs； or the dead。 we see far too many of those。鈥�
鈥渋 don鈥檛 understand；鈥潯uttered sabriel。 鈥渇ather often used to talk of villages and towns 。 。 。 even cities； in the old kingdom。 i remember some of them from my childhood 。 。 。 well； i sort of remember 。 。 。 i think。鈥�
鈥渇urther into the old kingdom； certainly；鈥�
replied the colonel。 鈥渢he records mention quite a few names of towns and cities。 we know that the people up there call the area around the wall 鈥榯he borderlands。鈥櫋nd they don鈥檛 say it with any fondness。鈥�
sabriel didn鈥檛 answer； bending her head lower over the map； thinking about the journey that lay ahead of her。 cloven crest might be a good waypoint。 it was no more than eight miles away； so she should be able to ski there before nightfall if she left fairly soon； and if it wasn鈥檛 snowing too hard across the wall。 a broken charter stone did not bode well； but there would be some magic there and the path into death would be easier to tread。 charter stones were often erected where free magic flowed and crossroads of the free magic currents were often natural doorways into the realm of death。 sabriel felt a shiver inch up her spine at the thought of what might use such a doorway and the tremor passed through to her fingers on the map。
she looked up suddenly； and saw colonel horyse looking at her long； pale hands； the heavy paper of the map still shuddering at her touch。 with an effort of will； she stilled the movement。
鈥渋 have a daughter almost your age；鈥潯e said quietly。 鈥渂ack in corvere； with my wife。 i would not let her cross into the old kingdom。鈥�
sabriel met his gaze； and her eyes were not the uncertain； flickering beacons of adolescence。
鈥渋 am only eighteen years old on the outside；鈥�
she said； touching her palm against her breast with an almost wistful motion。 鈥渂ut i first walked in death when i was twelve。 i encountered a fifth gate rester when i was fourteen； and banished it beyond the ninth gate。 when i was sixteen i stalked and banished a mordicant that came near the school。