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em； higher up the stair； and just able to see； were several gaggles of nonprefectorial fifth and sixth formers。 sabriel didn鈥檛 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鈥檛 telling her teachers anything useful鈥攋ust going on about rudeness and some general。 sabriel saw the magistrix behind the tall； bent figure of the senior science mistress； and waved。
鈥渁nd i was never more shocked to see one of our鈥斺�潯rs。 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。
鈥渋鈥檓 sorry to interrupt；鈥潯abriel said； standing next to the temporarily frozen form of the headmistress。
鈥渂ut 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鈥攚ith you； magistrix greenwood； please。 everyone else鈥攕tudents； staff； gardeners； everyone鈥攎ust go to the top floors of the north tower and barricade yourselves in。 till dawn tomorrow。鈥�
鈥渨hy？鈥潯emanded mrs。 pearch； the mathematics mistress。 鈥渨hat鈥檚 all this about？鈥�
鈥渟omething has e from the old kingdom；鈥潯abriel replied shortly； watching their faces change as she spoke。 鈥渨e will shortly be attacked by the dead。鈥�
鈥渟o there will be danger to my students？鈥�
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； 鈥渁bhorsen。鈥�
鈥渢here will be danger to everyone；鈥潯abriel said bleakly。 鈥渂ut without the aid of the charter mages here； there isn鈥檛 even a chance 。 。 。鈥�
鈥渨ell；鈥潯eplied miss greenwood； with some decision。 鈥渨e鈥檇 better get organized then。 i鈥檒l go and fetch sulyn and ellimere。 i think they鈥檙e the only two charter mages among the prefects鈥敗hey can organize the others。 mrs。 pearch； you鈥檇 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鈥檇 best round up cook and the maids鈥攇et some fresh water； food and candles； too。 mr。 arkler； if you would be so kind as to fetch the swords from the gymnasium 。 。 。鈥�
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 almost fled。 in the twilight； it looked larger； stronger； its magic more forceful and malign。
鈥減ull！鈥潯houted touchstone； heaving on the ropes with the soldiers。 鈥減ull！鈥�
slowly； the sarcophagus slid across the old paving stones； inching towards the front steps； where other soldiers were hastily hammering a wooden ramp together； fitting it over the steps。
sabriel decided to leave touchstone to it； and walked a little way down the drive； to where she could see out the iron gates。 she stood there； watching； her hands nervously running over the handles of the bells。 six bells； now鈥攁ll probably ineffective against the awful might of kerrigor。
and an unfamilar sword； strange to her touch； even if it was forged by the wallmaker。
the wallmaker。 that reminded her of mogget。
who knew what he had been； that strange bination of irascible panion to the abhorsens and blazing free magic construct sworn to kill them。 gone now； swept away by the mournful call of astarael 。 。 。
i left this place knowing almost nothing about the old kingdom； and i鈥檝e e back with not much more； sabriel thought。 i am the most ignorant abhorsen in centuries； and perhaps one of the most sorely tried 。 。 。
a clatter of shots interrupted her thoughts； followed by the zing of a rocket arcing up into the sky； its yellow trail reaching down towards the road。 more shots followed。 a rapid volley鈥攖hen sudden silence。 the rocket burst into a white parachute flare； that slowly descended。 in its harsh； magnesium brilliance； sabriel saw fog rolling up the road； thick and wet； stretching back into the dark as far as she could see。
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chapter xxviii
灏彛ヨ^t*xt…澶ｅ爞！
sabriel forced herself to walk back to the main doors； rather than break into a screaming run。 lots of soldiers could see her鈥敗hey were still placing lanterns out in lines； radia