鈥渋鈥檝e had to eat in the kitchen for the last two weeks；鈥潯ogget said sourly； as two sendings approached from the kitchen； bearing plates that signaled their arrival with a tantalizing odor of spices and hot food。
鈥渋 expect it was good for you；鈥潯abriel replied brightly； taking a mouthful of wine。 it was a fruity； dry white wine； though sabriel hadn鈥檛 developed a palate to know whether it was good or merely indifferent。 it was certainly drinkable。
her first major experiments with alcohol lay several years behind her； enshrined in memory as significant occasions shared with two of her closest friends。 none of the three could ever drink brandy again； but sabriel had started to enjoy wine with her meals。
鈥渁nyway； how did you know i was ing？鈥�
sabriel asked。 鈥渋 didn鈥檛 know myself； till 。 。 。 till father sent his message。鈥�
the cat didn鈥檛 answer at once； his attention focused on the plate of fish the sending had just put down鈥攕mall； almost circular fish； with the bright eyes and shiny scales of the freshly caught。
sabriel had them too； but hers were grilled； with a tomato； garlic and basil sauce。
鈥渋 have served ten times as many of your forebears as you have years；鈥潯ogget replied at last。
鈥渁nd though my powers wane with the ebb of time； i always know when one abhorsen falls and another takes their place。鈥�
sabriel swallowed her last mouthful； all taste gone； and put down her fork。 she took a mouthful of wine to clear her throat； but it seemed to have bee vinegar； making her cough。
鈥渨hat do you mean by 鈥榝all鈥櫍俊hat do you know？ what has happened to father？鈥�
mogget looked up at sabriel； eyes half…lidded； meeting her gaze steadily； as no normal cat could。
鈥渉e is dead； sabriel。 even if he hasn鈥檛 passed the final gate； he will walk in life no more。 that is鈥斺��
鈥渘o；鈥潯nterrupted sabriel。 鈥渉e can鈥檛 be！ he cannot be。 he is a necromancer 。 。 。 he can鈥檛 be dead 。 。 。鈥�
鈥渢hat is why he sent the sword and bells to you； as his aunt sent them to him； in her time；鈥�
mogget continued； ignoring sabriel鈥檚 outburst。
鈥渁nd he was not a necromancer； he was abhorsen。鈥�
鈥渋 don鈥檛 understand；鈥潯abriel whispered。 she couldn鈥檛 face mogget鈥檚 eyes anymore。 鈥渋 don鈥檛 know 。 。 。 i don鈥檛 know enough。 about anything。
the old kingdom； charter magic； even my own father。 why do you say his name as if it were a title？鈥�
鈥渋t is。 he was the abhorsen。 now you are。鈥�
sabriel digested this in silence； staring at the swirls of fish and sauce on her plate； silver scales and red tomato blurring into a pattern of swords and fire。 the table blurred too； and the room beyond； and she felt herself reaching for the border with death。 but try as she might； she couldn鈥檛 cross it。 she sensed it； but there was no way to cross； in either direction鈥攁bhorsen鈥檚 house was too well protected。 but she did feel something at the border。 inimical things lurked there； waiting for her to cross； but there was also the faintest thread of something familiar； like the scent of a woman鈥檚 perfume after she has left the room； or the waft of a particular pipe tobacco around a corner。 sabriel focused on it and threw herself once more at the barrier that separated her from death。
only to ricochet back to life； as sharp claws pricked her arm。 her eyes snapped open； blinking off flakes of frost； to see mogget； fur bristling； one paw ready to strike again。
鈥渇ool！鈥潯e hissed。 鈥測ou are the only one who can break the wards of this house and they wait for you to do so！鈥�
sabriel stared at the angry cat； unseeing； biting back a sharp and proud retort as she realized the truth in mogget鈥檚 words。 there were dead spirits waiting； and probably the mordicant would cross as well鈥攁nd she would have faced them alone and weaponless。
鈥渋鈥檓 sorry；鈥潯he muttered； bowing her head into two frosted hands。 she hadn鈥檛 felt this stupidly awful since she鈥檇 burned one of the headmistress鈥檚 rose bushes with an uncontrolled charter…spell； narrowly missing the school鈥檚 ancient and much…loved gardener。 she had cried then； but she was older now； and could keep the tears at bay。
鈥渇ather is not yet truly dead；鈥潯he said； after a moment。 鈥渋 felt his presence； though he is trapped beyond many gates。 i could bring him back。鈥�
鈥測ou must not；鈥潯aid mogget firmly； and his voice now seemed to carry all the weight of centuries。
鈥測ou are abhorsen； and must put the dead to rest。 your path is chosen。鈥�
鈥渋 can walk a different path；鈥潯abriel replied firmly； raising her head。
mogget seemed about to protest again； then he laughed鈥攁 sardonic laugh鈥攁nd jumped back to his stool。
鈥渄o as you will；鈥潯e said。 鈥渨hy should i gainsay you？ i am but a slave； bound to service。 why would i weep if abhorsen falls to evil？ it is your father who would curse you； and your mother too鈥攁nd the dead who will be merry。鈥�
鈥渋 don鈥檛 think he鈥檚 dead；鈥潯abriel said； bright blushes of withheld emotion in her pallid cheeks； frost melting； trickling down around her face。
鈥渉is spirit felt alive。 he is trapped in death； i think； but his body lives。 would i still be reviled if i brought him back then？鈥�
鈥渘o；鈥潯aid mogget； calm again。 鈥渂ut he has sent the sword and bells。 you are only wishing that he lives。鈥�
鈥渋 feel it；鈥潯abriel said simply。 鈥渁nd i must find out if my feeling is true。鈥�
鈥減erhaps it is so鈥攖hough strange。鈥潯ogget seemed to be musing to himself； his voice a soft half…purr。 鈥渋 have grown dull。 this collar strangles me； chokes my wits 。 。 。鈥�
鈥渉elp me； mogget；鈥潯abriel suddenly pleaded； reaching over to touch her hand to the cat鈥檚 head； scratching under the collar。 鈥渋 need to know鈥攊 need to know so much！鈥�
mogget purred under the scratching； but as sabriel leaned close； she could hear the faint peal of the tiny saraneth bell cut through the purr； and she was reminded that mogget was no cat； but a free magic creature。 for a moment； sabriel wondered what mogget鈥檚 true shape was； and his true nature。
鈥渋 am the servant of abhorsen；鈥潯ogget said at last。 鈥渁nd you are abhorsen； so i must help you。 but you must promise me that you will not raise your father； if his body is dead。 truly； he would not wish it。鈥�
鈥渋 cannot promise。 but i will not act without much thought。 and i will listen to you； if you are by me。鈥�
鈥渋 guessed as much；鈥潯ogget said； twisting his head away from sabriel鈥檚 hand。 鈥渋t is true that you are sadly ignorant； or you would promise with a will。 your father should never have sent you beyond the wall。鈥�
鈥渨hy did he？鈥潯sked sabriel； her heart suddenly leaping with the question that had been with her all her school days； a question abhorsen had always smiled away with the one word； 鈥渘ecessity。鈥�
鈥渉e was afraid；鈥潯eplied mogget； turning his attention back to the fish。 鈥測ou were safer in ancelstierre。鈥�
鈥渨hat was he afraid of？鈥�
鈥渆at your fish；鈥潯eplied mogget； as two sendings appeared from the kitchen； bearing what was obviously the next course。 鈥渨e鈥檒l talk later。 in the study。鈥�
w锛穡锛氾紵
chapter