Goldenhand by Garth Nix - Longer Excerpt

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The exciting fifth book in the bestselling Old Kingdom series

GARTH NIX

FOR EVERYONE AND EVERYTHING, THERE IS A TIME TO DIE

prologue

n the Sixth Precinct, the inexorable current of the river that


flowed through Death slowed almost to astop. It was anatural
gathering place for the Dead who hoped to go no further, and
for those who strived to claw their way back through five gates
and precincts and out into the living world again.
Amid the myriad Dead who waited, and hungered, and fought
against the compulsion to go deeper into Death, there were two
living people. Necromancers, of course, for no others could be
here while still alive. At least alive for the moment, for unwary
necromancers going deeper into Death than their knowledge and
their strength allowed were the particular prey of the Greater
Dead who prowled the precinct, ever eager to consume any scrap
of Life that would aid them in their desperate desire to live again.
But in this case the Greater Dead stayed well away, knowing
the two women were most uncommon necromancers. Both
worebandoliers containing the seven bells, necromantic tools
of power infused with Free Magic, but their bells had mahogany
handles rather than ebony, and the silver bell-metal crawled
with bright Charter marks.
That alone declared their identity, but it was confirmed by
their apparel: armoured coats made from many overlapping

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plates of amaterial called gethre, with surcoats over the armour.


One wore deep blue, sprinkled with many silver keys, the other
acoat also with silver keys upon the blue, but quartered with
golden stars on afield of green.
The silver keys were the blazon of the Abhorsen, foe and
nemesis of all things Dead, and this was the Abhorsen Sabriel,
fifty-third of the line. With her was her apprentice Lirael, the
Abhorsen-in-Waiting, who also bore the stars of the Clayr to
show her own unique heritage: she was not only an Abhorsen,
but also aRemembrancer, who could See deep into the past, just
as the Clayr could See the future.
She has evaded us, said Sabriel, looking out over the grey and
dismal river. She could feel the presence of the Dead, many of whom
were lurking under the water, hoping to avoid her attention. But they
were all lesser things than the one she and Lirael had hunted, along
and weary way. The desperately scrabbling small things about would
weaken in time, and go on, without the need for interference.
Youre sure it was Chlorr of the Mask? asked Lirael. She looked
around more warily than Sabriel. This was only the eleventh
time she had come into Death, and only the second time she had
come so far, though once she had been very far indeed, to the
border of the Ninth Gate. She was very grateful that Sabriel was
by her side, while still not being quite able to quell afeeling
of great loss. The last time Lirael had passed through the Sixth
Precinct, her great friend the Disreputable Dog had accompanied
her, lending the young woman great comfort and strength.
But the Dog was gone forever.
Lirael still felt the pain of that loss, and the dread, dismal days
that had followed the binding of Orannis were never far from
her thoughts. The only slight note of cheer from that time had
come from Nicholas Sayre, who had told her how the Dog had sent
him back from this same cold river, albeit on the very fringe of
Life. Lirael would have liked to talk to Nicholas more about this,

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particularly if he had seen which way the Dog went, grasping at


the hope the wily hound had not gone towards the final gate.
In fact Lirael would have liked to see more of Nick in general,
for he was one of the very few people she had ever met who she
had immediately liked and had felt some unspoken connection
to, or at least the potential for something of the sort.
But Nick was gone too. Not dead, thank the Charter. But
returned to Ancelstierran regions far south of the Wall, to get
him away from the pernicious magics of the Old Kingdom. He
needed to escape the legacy of both Free Magic and the Charter to
live anormal life, Lirael told herself.
She must forget him.
It was definitely Chlorr, said Sabriel, recapturing Liraels
momentarily wandering attention. The older woman wrinkled
her nose. Over time, youll learn to differentiate the various
types of the Dead, and individuals strong enough to earn the
description of Greater Dead. You sense it now, Isuspect.
Yes... said Lirael.
It was true she could feel the Dead all around, with that
strange sense she had not known she possessed for much of her
life. She narrowed her eyes and tried to sort through the different sensations, for that sense was something beyond sight and
hearing, touch and smell, but it drew upon them all. There was
the hint of something more powerful amid all the Dead about
them, but it was a fading trace, like the scent of smoke from a fire
extinguished some time before.
Has Chlorr gone deeper into Death? asked Lirael. She hoped
the slight quaver in her voice was not apparent. She was quite
prepared to go on if it was necessary. She only hoped it wasnt.
No, said Sabriel. I think she was too fast for us, and went
sideways and then back towards Life. But to do that...
She stopped talking and looked around again, intent upon the
placid though still treacherous river. Lirael watched her, once again

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marvelling that the famous Abhorsen, Queen of the Old Kingdom


and the subject of so many stories that were already becoming
legends, was also her relatively newly discovered half-sister.
Atwenty-years-older half-sister, though Lirael felt that after the
events of the summer past, she was no longer so young herself.
To do that, repeated Sabriel, Chlorr must be anchored in Life.
Anchored in Life? asked Lirael, startled. Chlorr of the Mask
had been an ancient necromancer until she was physically slain
by Sabriel. But she had not gone beyond the Ninth Gate, instead
becoming avery powerful Greater Dead creature, athing of
fireand shadow that needed no flesh to inhabit out in the
living world.
I destroyed the shape she wore, said Sabriel. But even at that
time Iwondered. She was very old, hundreds of years old. Icould
feel that age, aleaden weight within the far younger skin...
She stopped talking and turned about in acircle, sniffing, her
eyes narrowed. Lirael looked around too, listening to the faint
sounds of movement in the river, sounds that would normally be
obscured by the rush of the current.
There are various ways to extend alife, continued Sabriel,
after amoment. I was too busy to consider which she had used,
and became busier still, as you know. But now Ithink she must
be connected to some anchor in Life. That is why she did not
fully obey my bells, and did not die the final death.
But how... stammered Lirael. How could she do that?
There are anumber of methods, all of them foul, mused
Sabriel. Perhaps... Imust tell you how Kerrigor did so, and there
are passages from the Book of the Dead which speak to the point,
though it may not show those pages to you. As always, it has its
own ideas of when the reader is ready...
It certainly does, said Lirael, who, despite considerable
familiarity with sorcerous texts from her time as alibrarian, was
still unsettled by the way the contents of that strange tome were

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never quite the same and how, reading it, she often felt the same
bone-deep chill she felt in the river now.
Lirael spoke slowly, half her mind still focused on her sense
of Death, and the Dead. There were things going on, small movements, like flotsam on the tide... it took her afew seconds to
work out that the dozens and dozens of lesser Dead were gathering together, massing to form ahost.
We shall have to find out, in due course, but Chlorr by herself
is not of primary importance, said Sabriel. Not now Orannis is
bound again, and provided she stays in the North. There are
other, more immediate problems. Some at hand, Iwould say.
Sabriel unfastened the strap that held her favourite bell quiet
on her bandolier, her fingers closing on the clapper, bright Charter
marks swarming from the silver bell to her hand. She smiled aslight,
quirking smile. I think Chlorr has left us something of asurprise,
even an ambush. It is interesting that these lesser things are more
afraid of her than they are of us. We must correct that view.
Lirael barely had time to draw her sword and abell of her own
before the Dead attacked, particularly as her right hand moved slowly.
It was still being perfected, the new hand that had been made for her
by Sameth of clever metalwork and considerable Charter Magic.
There were more than seventy Dead creatures reluctantly moving
to attack. Most were warped and misshapen from too long in Death,
their original shapes long lost, spirit flesh unable to maintain
even avaguely human shape. Some were squat, as if compressed to
fit some awful container; some were stretched long. They had too
many teeth, and shifted jaws, and talons or teeth in place of fingernails. Red fire burned in sockets where their eyes once were, and
came dripping from their gaping, overstretched mouths.
Lurching and hopping, darting and zigzagging, they came,
building courage as they approached, taking hope from the sheer
numbers of their companions. They began to growl and slobber
and shriek, thinking perhaps this time, they would feast on Life!

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But as the throng of Dead finally charged, Sabriel rang


Saraneth in acontinuous figure-eight motion above her head.
The pure, commanding tone of the bell cut through all the foul
noises of the Dead, and at the same time the Abhorsen spoke. Not
shouting, just speaking firmly, perhaps as she might to achild,
or to ahorse. Her words were backed by an implacable will, and
the strength of the bell.
Be still.
The charge faltered and came to astop, Dead creatures stumbling over one another as those closer came first under the
compulsion of the bell. Their cries faded, voices quailed. Even
their fiery eyes grew dimmer, quenched by the power of Saraneth
in the hand of the Abhorsen.
Sabriel flipped Saraneth and caught it by its clapper, silencing
the bell. But its voice remained, along-sustained echo, and the
Dead did not move.
Good, said Sabriel, noting the bell the younger woman held.
Kibeth. The right bell will often come to your hand, unsought.
Send them on, on to the final death.
Lirael nodded, and rang Kibeth the Walker, alively, leaping bell,
so eager to sound that she had to exert herself to ring it true and not
be carried away herself. And as always now, she had to steel herself,
for in every peal she also heard the memory of ajoyful dogs bark,
pleased at the prospect of going for awalk.
The Dead began to sob and groan under Kibeths spell, and
then as one they turned and began to shuffle. Lirael kept the bell
ringing, and the Dead started to run and hop and skip, slowly
moving into agreat circle, ahorrible parody of some village
dance as performed by monsters.
Twice this long parade of Dead trod around in an ever-closing
circle, compelled by Kibeth; the third time the Sixth Gate opened
under them with agreat roar, drawing them down and onward,
never to return.

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chapter one

an unlikely messenger
atthe gate
Greenwash River Bridge, North Castle

inter was hard in the North, beyond the borders of


the Old Kingdom. The nomadic clans who lived on
the steppe would seek the lower reaches before the
snow began to fall, leaving the high plateau. But there was one
tribe that did not roam so far, whatever the season. They lived in
the mountains in the northwest, beyond the steppe, and did not
ride or revere horses, though they would eat them if the opportunity presented itself.
These mountain-folk were easily distinguished from the
other clans because they did not wear the long slit tunics and silk
sashes of their nomadic cousins. Instead they favoured jerkins
and breeches made of patchwork goatskin stitched with thick red
thread, and rich cloaks from the fur of the athask, the huge cats
that roamed their peaks and gave the clan its name. For weddings,
feasts, and their own funerary pyres, they donned heavy bracelets
and earrings made of alluvial gold from their mountain rivers.

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It was unusual to see any of these folk outside their mountains at all, let alone hundreds of leagues to the south and east, so
the guards on the gate tower of the Greenwash Bridge Companys
north bank castle were understandably both curious and cautious
when one such fur-wrapped, red-thread goatskin-patched nomad
appeared as if from nowhere out of aswirling wet snowfall on
aspring afternoon and shouted up at them, asking permission to
cross the bridge into the Old Kingdom.
Youre no merchant, called down the younger guard, whod
set his crossbow on the merlon, ready to snatch up and fire. So
you have no business to cross the bridge.
Im amessenger! bawled the nomad. She was even younger
than the young guard, perhaps having seen only sixteen or
seventeen of the harsh winters of her homeland. Her lustrous
skin was acorn brown, her hair black, worn in aplaited queue
that was wound several times around her head like acrown, and
her dark eyes appealing. I claim the message right!
Whats that, Haral? the younger guard asked his elder quietly.
Hed only been with the Bridge Company eleven months, but Haral
was an old-timer. Shed served twenty-six years, back into the bad
old times before King Touchstone and the Abhorsen Sabriel restored
order to the Old Kingdom. Before that restoration, the bridge and
its castles on the northern and southern banks and thefort in the
middle of the river had essentially been afortress constantly under
siege. It had been much more peaceful since, though there had
been great trouble in the south in the last summer.
The tribes give messengers immunity from challenges and
feuds and the like, said Haral. She looked down at this unusual
and unusually attractive messenger, and thought it was just
as well the younger guard wasnt here by himself. People who
wanted to cross the bridge were not always what they seemed. Or
were not actually people at all, apart from their outward form.
But Ididnt know the mountain-folk followed that custom.

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Ive only ever seen them acouple of times before, and they were
traders, going northward to home.
Whos the message for? called out the young guard. His name
was Aronsin, but everyone just called him Aron.
Must Itell you? asked the young nomad. It was an odd
question, said as if she was uncertain of the etiquette involved,
or unfamiliar with dealing with other people in general.
It would be astart, said Aron. He glanced at Haral, sensing
her suddenly straighten up. She was peering out into the falling
snow, looking into the distance, not at the nomad below.
Thought Isaw movement, said Haral. She took aperspective
glass from her belt, extended it, and held it to her eye. Having one
nomad pop up almost at the gate could be blamed on the snow
and the fading light, but to have any more get so close would be
adereliction of duty.
So whos the message for? asked Aron. He smiled down at the
mountain girl, because he liked the look of her and he couldnt
help himself. And whats your name?
The message is for the witches who live in the ice and see what
is to be, replied the mountain nomad reluctantly. My name...
Idont really have aname.
People must call you something, said Aron. He glanced over
at Haral again, who had lowered the perspective glass but was
still looking out, her eyes narrowed. With the snow beginning
to fall more heavily, and the light fading with it, visibility was
ebbing.
Some call me Ferin, said the nomad, the faintest hint of
asmile quirking in the corner of her mouth, sign of afond
memory. Now, can you let me in?
I guess Aron started to say, but he stopped as Haral laid
ahand on his shoulder, and pointed with the perspective glass.
Three figures were coming into sight out of the swirling snow
and the lowering darkness. Two of them were on horseback,

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nomads clad in the typical long woollen tunics of black and


grey, slit at the sides for riding, and wound about the waist with
multicoloured silk sashes. Those who knew could tell the tribe
from the pattern of colours in asash.
But they were not common nomads. One was ashaman, with
asilver ring around his neck, and from that ring achain of
silvered iron ran to the hand of the second nomad, the shamans
keeper.
Even without seeing the neck-ring and silver chain, Haral and
Aron knew immediately who... or what... the nomads must
be, because the third of their number was neither on horseback,
nor was it human.
It was awood-weird, acreature of roughly carved and articulated ironwood, twice as tall as the horses, its big misshapen eyes
beginning to glow with ahot red fire, evidence that the shaman
was goading the Free Magic creature hed imprisoned inside the
loosely joined pieces of timber fully into motion. Wood-weirds
were not so terrible afoe as some other Free Magic constructs,
such as Spirit-Walkers, whose bodies were crafted from stone,
for wood-weirds were not so entirely impervious to normal
weapons. Nevertheless, they were greatly feared. And who knew
what other servants or powers the shaman might have?
The Guard! Alarm! Alarm! roared Haral, cupping her hands
around her mouth and looking up to the central tower. She was
answered only afew seconds later by the blast of ahorn from
high above, echoed four or five seconds later from the mid-river
fort, out of sight in the snow, and then again more distantly from
the castle on the southern bank.
Let me in! shouted the mountain nomad urgently, even as
she looked back over her shoulder. The wood-weird was striding
ahead of the two nomads now, its long, rootlike legs stretching
out, grasping limbs reaching forward for balance, strange fire
streaming from its eyes and mouth like burning tears and spit.

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The shaman sat absolutely still on his horse, deep in concentration. It took great effort of will to keep aFree Magic spirit of
any kind from turning on its master amaster who was himself
kept in check by the cunningly hinged asphyxiating ring of
bright silver, which his keeper could pull tight should he try to
turn his creatures upon his own people, or seek to carry out his
own plans.
Though this particular keeper seemed to have little fear her
sorcerer would turn, for she fixed the chain to the horn of her
saddle and readied her bow, even though she was still well out of
bowshot, particularly with the snow falling wet and steady. Once
she got within range, she would get only two or three good shots
before her string grew sodden. Perhaps only asingle shot at that.
We cant let you in now! called down Aron. He had picked up
his crossbow. Enemies in sight!
But theyre after me!
We dont know that, shouted Haral. This could be atrick to
get us to open the gate. You said you were amessenger; theyll
leave you alone.
No, they wont! cried Ferin. She took her own bow from
the case on her back, and drew astrange arrow from the case at
her waist. The arrows point was hooded with leather, tied fast.
Holding bow and arrow with her left hand, she undid the cords
of the hood and pulled it free, revealing an arrowhead of dark
glass that sparkled with hidden fire, afaint tendril of white smoke
rising from thepoint.
With it came an unpleasant, acrid taint, so strong it came
almost instantly to the noses of the guards atop the wall.
Free Magic! shouted Aron. Raising his crossbow in one swift
motion, he fired it straight down. Only Harals sudden downward
slap on the crossbow made the quarrel miss the nomad womans
gut, but even so it went clear through her leg just above the ankle,
and there was suddenly blood spattered on the snow.

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Ferin looked over her shoulder quickly, saw Haral restraining Aron so he couldnt ready another quarrel. Setting her teeth
hard together against the pain in her leg, she turned back to face
the wood-weird. It had risen up on its rough-hewn legs and was
bounding forward, agood hundred paces ahead of the shaman,
and it was still accelerating. Its eyes were bright as pitch-soaked
torches newly lit, and great long flames roared from the widening
gash in its head that served as amouth.
Ferin drew her bow and released in one fluid motion. The
shining glass arrow flew like aspark from asummer bonfire,
striking the wood-weird square in the trunk. At first it seemed
it had done no scathe, but then the creature faltered, took three
staggering steps, and froze in place, suddenly more astrangely
carved tree and less aterrifying creature. The flames in its eyes
ebbed back, there was aflash of white inside the red, then its
entire body burst into flame. Avast roil of dark smoke rose from
the fire, gobbling up the falling snow.
In the distance the shaman screamed, ascream filled with
equal parts anger and fear.
Free Magic! gasped Aron. He struggled with Haral. She had
difficulty in restraining him, before she got him in an armlock
and wrestled him down behind the battlements. Shes asorcerer!
No, no, lad, said Haral easily. That was aspirit-glass arrow.
Its Free Magic, sure enough, but contained, and can be used only
once. Theyre very rare, and the nomads treasure them, because
they are the only weapons they have which can kill ashaman or
one of their creatures.
But she could still be
I dont think so, said Haral. The full watch was pounding
up the stairs now; in aminute there would be two dozen guards
spread out on the wall. But one of the Bridgemasters Seconds can
test her with Charter Magic. If she really is from the mountains,
and has amessage for the Clayr, we need to know.

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The Clayr? asked Aron. Oh, the witches in the ice, who see
More than you do, interrupted Haral. Can Ilet you go?
Aron nodded and relaxed. Haral released her hold and quickly
stood up, looking out over the wall.
Ferin was not in sight. The wood-weird was burning fiercely,
sending up agreat billowing column of choking black smoke.
The shaman and his keeper lay sprawled on the snowy ground,
both dead with quite ordinary arrows in their eyes, evidence of
peerless shooting at that range in the dying light. Their horses
were running free, spooked by blood and sudden death.
Where did she go? asked Aron.
Probably not very far, said Haral grimly, gazing intently
atthe ground. There was apatch of blood on the snow there
as big as the guards hand, and blotches like dropped coins of
brightscarlet continued for some distance, in the direction
ofthe river shore.

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chapter two

two hawks bring


messages
Belisaere, the Old Kingdom

he hawk came down through the clouds, dodging raindrops for the sheer fun of it, despite having already flown
more than two hundred leagues. Born from aCharter-
spelled egg and trained for its work since it was afledgling,
thehawk carried amessage imprinted in its mind, and with it the
burning desire to fly as swiftly as possible to the tower mews in
the royal city of Belisaere.
The rain-
dodging hawk from the south beat another bird
flying in from the north by half aminute, so it was first to get to
Mistress Finney, the chief falconer, while the later hawk had
tobe content going to the fist of an apprentice.
As amatter of procedure, Mistress Finney checked the anklet on
thebird, to see where it had come from, though she already recognised him. She knew all the message-hawks of the Old Kingdom,
having raised them herself, even if they were later assigned elsewhere, and became only occasional visitors to the capital.

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From Wyverley College, my lovely, she said softly, making


her own peculiar tongue-c licking sound, one all the hawks knew
from the egg. What along way, and over the Wall too, my brave
one. Whats your message, dear?
The hawk opened its beak and spoke with awomans voice,
that of Magistrix Coelle, who taught Charter Magic at Wyverley
College, in that strange land beyond the Wall, where magic
waned and then disappeared entirely, once too far south.
Telegram from Nicholas Sayre for the Abhorsen. Extremely
urgent, said the hawk.
Ah, for the Abhorsen, said Mistress Finney. Messenger!
A seven-year-old page who hoped to become one of the falconers apprentices leaped up from the bench where she sat with
three others, waiting to take the messages the hawks brought in
on the next part of their journey.
Yes, Mistress!
Find out where the Abhorsen-in-Waiting Lirael is. Tell her
Iam transcribing an urgent message from Ancelstierre calling
for the Abhorsen, and ask her to either come here for it, or to stay
wherever she is and you come back and let me know and we will
send it on.
Yes, Mistress, said the girl, with aslight hesitation that suggested she didnt know where to look for Lirael, or why she was
looking for Lirael instead of the Abhorsen herself.
Try Prince Sameths workshop first, said Mistress Finney,
after amoments thought. I believe she is often there, for he is
making her new hand.
The girl bent her head in acknowledgment, spun on one foot,
and dashed to the stairs.
Slow down! called out Mistress Finney after her. Youll do no
good if you fall to the bottom!
The clatter of footsteps slowed alittle. The falconer smiled and
lifted the hawk to the perch that sat on her writing desk. The bird

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stepped off onto it, watching the woman as she took up her quill,
dipped it in the inkwell, and made ready to write.
Now, my dear, give me the message, said Mistress Finney to
the hawk, who once again spoke, clear and loud in the voice of
Magistrix Coelle. Wyverley College, though it lay across the Wall,
was close enough that Charter Magic could be wielded there.
Though its location meant Ancelstierran technology could not
always be relied upon, atelegraph boys bicycle would not fail. So
it had become the de facto place for Ancelstierran telegrams to be
transferred to Old Kingdom message-hawks for onward delivery
to authorities in the north.
Abhorsen, Ive just received atelegram. It reads TO MAGISTRIX WYVERLEY COLLEGE NICK FOUND BAD KINGDOM
CREATURE DORRANCE HALL TELL ABHORSEN HELP STOP
THIS FROM NICHOLAS SAYRE STOP VIA DANJERS VALET
APPLETHWICK END. Now, Dorrance Hall is several hundred
miles south, so this seems very unlikely. But Ihave heard it is
some sort of secret government place, so perhaps should be investigated. Ihave sent telegrams to the Bain Consulate and the
Embassy in Corvere, but have not yet had an answer
The message ended suddenly. The message-hawks were invaluable, but their minds were small and could not hold very long
communications, and their capacity also varied from bird to
bird. Unless you knew the particular hawk in question and
counted out your words beforehand, it was easy to be cut off in
mid-flow. Senders often forgot this in their eagerness to pass on
important information. Nor, once amessage was impressed, was
it an easy matter to start again.
Well done, my dear, said Mistress Finney softly to the
hawk, carefully drawing aline below the message she had just
transcribed and initialling it MF. She gestured to one of her
apprentices, who came and took the hawk over to its own perch,
to be fed some fresh rabbit and to have adrink.

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The apprentice who had heard the message from the northern
hawk approached her, passing over the paper where hed written
down that birds missive.
This ones for the King, he said. From the Greenwash Bridge
Company, at the bridge. Not marked urgent. Follow-up to their
earlier report.
Spike it for Princess Ellimere, said Mistress Finney, gesturing
at atable adorned with numerous spikes, most of them already
impaling message sheets. Shes coming up this morning, Isaw
her at breakfast.
Not taken to the King immediately?
Does no one here pay attention to what is happening in
the court we serve? asked Mistress Finney. It was arhetorical
question, and no one in the mews dared to treat it any other way,
remaining silent while hoping they looked suitably attentive.
The King and the Abhorsen left for their holiday this morning.
Awell-deserved one. Their first holiday! Ever! You could all
learn from their example. Hard work
She broke off as another hawk flew in, briefly settling on the
landing perch before spying Mistress Finney. Upon seeing her, it
immediately flew to her fist.
Hello, my beauty, said the falconer, forgetting her rant.
Come in from High Bridge, have you?
Lirael hurried up the steps to the mews. She flexed her replacement hand as she did so, marvelling at how well it worked. When
her own hand had been bitten off by the Disreputable Dog almost
seven months before in order to save her life from the ravening
power of Orannis, Sameth had promised to make her areplacement. He had lived up to that promise, and shown he was indeed
atrue inheritor of the Wallmakers engineering ingenuity and
magical craft, though it had taken him along time to get it right,
with much tinkering and adjustment. It was only in the last few

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days that it felt entirely normal to Lirael, really just like her own
flesh-a nd-blood hand.
It was mostly made from meteoric steel, but Sam had gilded
the metal and, unasked, had added an extra layer of Charter
spells atop the ones that made the hand work and even feel like
flesh, so it also glowed faintly with agolden light.
Already, many people were calling her Lirael Goldenhand.
Lirael didnt like the name very much, or the soft glow from
her golden fingers. She had worked out how to unravel the part of
the spell which provided the light, and planned to do so as soon
as she could without hurting Sams feelings. Having an artificial
magic hand attracted enough attention as it was, without the soft
golden light as well.
Though she had to admit to herself it was probably too late
to avoid attention. It seemed everyone in Belisaere knew who
she was. Shed gone out incognito numerous times, wearing
abroad-brimmed hat and gloves and simple, unadorned clothes
rather than her distinctive surcoat that bore the silver keys of
the Abhorsen on ablue field, quartered with the golden stars
of the Clayr on green. But this disguise, if it could be called
that, never worked for long. People always discovered her true
identity.
Just the day before shed tried to wander through the market
near Lake Loesere but shed had to give up, because so many
people were following her around, and the store traders kept
giving her whatever she inquired about for nothing, in gratitude
for saving the kingdom from Orannis the Destroyer. Within
fifteen minutes she was so overloaded with asack of blood plums,
three bottles of wine, several different cheeses, awheellike loaf
of fine white bread, and agiant bunch of asparagus that she had
to retreat to the palace, trailing acrowd behind her.
She hoped the message from Ancelstierre was going to offer
her the possibility of escape from all the attention. In Sabriels

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absence, it was her duty to deal with any Dead or Free Magic creatures, though admittedly the Abhorsen and the King had only
consented to go on holiday to the island of Ilgard because
everything had been largely quiet for the last six months.
Lirael was very eager to take up her duty. Any duty. She still
keenly felt the loss of the Disreputable Dog, and being busy was
an excellent way to not dwell on that. Or on the difficulties of
adapting to awhole new life as the Abhorsen-i n-Waiting, with
amuch older half-sister who was also now her mentor. Though
she greatly respected Sabriel, Lirael was also very much in awe of
her, and could not easily talk to her about anything other than
the work they shared.
Then there was her nephew Sameth and niece Ellimere, though
she could never think of them that way, since she was only alittle
older in years and felt considerably younger in terms of experience
with the world. Just being suddenly apart of the ruling family of
the Old Kingdom was an almost overwhelming challenge, particularly for someone like Lirael, who was used to spending agreat
deal of time alone, or in companionable silence with her dear dog.
Now it was nearly impossible for her to be alone, even for
afew minutes. The previous six months had been occupied with
recovering from her wounding; beginning to learn how to wield
the seven bells of the Abhorsen and all the associated magics
that went with that art (something she now realised would go
on for her entire life; it was not the sort of thing you could ever
entirely know); having her replacement hand fitted and fine-
tuned, which took absolutely hours; going along with the bare
minimum of social activity organised for her by Ellimere, who
did not at all behave like adutiful niece but much more like
abossy, matchmaking sister; and just trying to fit in with abusy
family who knew one another very well.
The messenger girl who was leading the way turned at the top
of the stairs and held her finger to her lips.

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Um, please remember to speak quietly and walk slowly, she


said nervously. So as not to disturb the hawks.
I know, whispered Lirael. She had some experience with the
hawks in the Clayrs mews, high in the rocky peak of Sunfall
above the glacier, and she had also visited Mistress Finneys
domain before.
The falconer raised ahand in greeting to Lirael as she climbed
the last few steps and emerged into the long room, half open
to the sky, the shutters all pulled back to allow easy access
for the hawks. The rain had eased and the clouds parted, and
the warmish, weak sunshine of early spring was pouring in,
awelcome light after the winters darkness.
Greetings, Lirael. You came quickly, said Mistress Finney.
She held out asheet of thick, linen-r ich paper. One of the first
things Touchstone and Sabriel had done when restoring the
kingdom to rights had been to help the guild of papermakers
rebuild several small mills. Touchstone had wanted paper to
assist with communications and trade, Sabriel for other reasons.
I have the message ready, and ahawk waiting should you wish
to send areply.
Lirael took the proffered paper and read the message quickly,
and then once again more slowly, to be sure she had fully taken
in everything it conveyed. Which wasnt all that much, when
it came to it, save that Sams friend Nicholas Nick had sent
it, requesting the aid of the Abhorsen to deal with aFree Magic
creature that was avery unlikely distance south of the wall.
But then Nick himself was very unlikely, in that he had survived
carrying afragment of Orannis within himself, tainting him with
Free Magic, deep into his blood and bone. Or to be more accurate, he
hadnt survived it. Hed died, but had been brought back from Death
by the Disreputable Dog, who had also given him the baptismal
Charter mark, somehow containing the Free Magic contamination within his body. No one had been quite sure what the result

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ofthiswould be, and Nick had quickly been taken away to the
south of Ancelstierre, where everyone had presumably hoped it
wouldnt matter.
I had better go and talk to Ellimere and Sam, said Lirael
thoughtfully, though she had already decided she would go, and go
straightaway. Part of her last six months training with Sabriel had
been spent learning to fly aPaperwing. She was already thinking
of how she could fly west to the Ratterlin and follow its silver path
south, swooping down at Barhedrin Hill to get ahorse from the
garrison there, and someone to help her with it, because though
shed had lessons from Ellimere, riding horses was still anew
thing and she didnt want to fall off and break her leg before she
even left the Old Kingdom. But she would have to ride, because the
Paperwing would not cross the Wall, and walking would be too
slow. Once across the Wall, she could ride in one of the Ancelstierrans noisy, stinking vehicles, like the truck that had taken them
west to Forwin Mill to confront Orannis...
And areply? asked Mistress Finney, breaking in on Liraels
thoughts. To Magistrix Coelle?
Oh... please send word that Ishall come as soon as Imay,
said Lirael. She thought for afew moments. I should be there
within aday, Ithink. Illgo to Wyverley first, to consult the
magistrix for directions and so forth.
I will send ahawk at once, replied the falconer, but she spoke
to empty air. Lirael was already clattering down the stairs in her
eagerness to be on her way, to once again be so busy she had no
time to dwell upon the past.
She almost ran into Ellimere halfway down, coming up rather
more slowly than Lirael was descending, the princess almost
dropping the sheaf of messages she was bringing for the message-
hawks to send.
Youre in ahurry, said the princess cheerfully. Whats
happening?

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Urgent message from Sams friend Nick in Ancelstierre,


gabbled Lirael. A Free Magic creature, they need help. Ithought
Id take aPaperwing and fly down
Wait! Wait! cried Ellimere. She was still smiling, but there
was the beginning of afrown on her forehead as well. Have you
got the message?
Lirael handed her the paper. Ellimere read it, her frown
intensifying.
But no formal message from the Crossing Point Scouts at the
Perimeter, or the government via our embassy in Corvere?
Mistress Finney only had that one, said Lirael.
Strange there should be nothing official, said Ellimere. And
several hundred miles south, theres no chance it could actually
be aFree Magic creature. You cant even feel the Charter that
far into Ancelstierre. There must be something else going on.
Iwonder if its some sort of trap, to lure Mother into another
assassination attempt...
I hadnt thought of that, said Lirael, suddenly acutely aware that
she had let her eagerness to get busy overrule any deeper thinking.
She should have particularly thought of atrap aimed at Sabriel. The
Abhorsen and King Touchstone had almost been killed in Ancelstierre seven months before by assassins from the Our Country
party, who had been secretly funded and directed by Hedge, the
necromancer servant of Orannis. Though the leadership of that
party and the few surviving assassins were all in prison now, there
might still be some outlying groups who intended harm to Sabriel,
not knowing there was no longer any purpose in doing so.
Youd think the Clayr would have Seen anything serious
coming up, too, continued Ellimere. I mean, the aged parents
only agreed to go on holiday because its been so quiet and the
Clayr said they hadnt seen anything nasty on the horizon.
The visions arent always clear, said Lirael, who, though
she lacked the Sight to see the future, had grown up among the

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clan of female seers in their fortress under the glacier. I mean,


they See many possible futures, and have to look for patterns or
recurring visions. And sometimes their Sight is clouded by other
magic.
They normally See the big stuff, though, said Ellimere. She
paused and then added, Eventually...
Almost too late sometimes, said Lirael, with feeling. The
Clayr had been very late in Seeing exactly what Orannis was, and
what it planned. Besides, they cant See what happens in Ancelstierre, at least not much beyond the Wall. What if there really
is aFree Magic creature loose over there? They have few or
maybe no mages apart from the Crossing Point Scouts on the
Perimeter.
But there cant be aFree Magic creature that far south, said
Ellimere. It just isnt possible.
It was Liraels turn to be silent for amoment. She was thinking.
It may be significant that the telegram came from Nick, she
said slowly.
Why? asked Ellimere.
He bore the fragment of Orannis inside his heart for along
time, said Lirael. I could feel the Free Magic within him. Even
after... after...
She paused to blink away an incipient tear. Even after the Dog
brought him back and gave him the Charter mark, the Free Magic
was still there, inside him. Only contained by the Charter. In
away, he was like the Dog herself. Or Mogget when he had his
collar on. Something of Free Magic, but also of the Charter.
I didnt know he still had Free Magic inside him! exclaimed
Ellimere. Did Mother know? We should never have let him out
of our sight. What if the Free Magic overcomes him? Hell be
incredibly dangerous!
No... said Lirael, though she was far from certain herself
that this was true, basing her answer very much on the belief

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that the Disreputable Dog would not have brought Nicholas Sayre
back if he was going to be athreat. I dont think that will happen.
And Sabriel did know about Nick, she wanted him to come back
with us, but Nick didnt... he didnt want to come along, and
what with his uncle being the Chief Minister and all, Sabriel said
we couldnt just take him with us. She thought he would be far
enough south both the Free Magic and the Charter Magic would
sleep withinhim
Maybe he is the Free Magic creature, interrupted Ellimere, her
frown deepening further. Telegram could have been mixed up.
Whatever is happening, Ithink Ishould go and investigate,
said Lirael.
Yes, said Ellimere. Perhaps Sam should go with you
Lirael shook her head. Shed just been in Sams workshop for
the final adjustments to her hand, and he had been in ahurry
himself. He was leaving to go and meet the leaders of the Southerling refugees, and take them to see the lands they were to be given
by the crown. Sam had promised the Southerlings aplace to settle,
guaranteeing it with his word as aprince shortly before the final
battle with Orannis, in order to make them get clear of the incipient destruction. Sorting out where they were to go, and attempting
to overcome their cultural disbelief in magic, had become abig
responsibility for Sam.
Sams got the Southerling leaders here, trying to get them
used to Charter Magic and everything before he takes them off
to their new lands north of Robles Town. Im sure Illbe fine
bymyself.
Lirael wasnt entirely sure she would be fine. But she did know
she needed to get away for awhile, to be kept busy, to escape the
long nights in her chambers in the palace, grieving for the Dog.
Agrief made worse by the fact that she knew the Dog would be
cross with her for this and would probably have bitten her to stop
her feeling sorry for herself.

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Youd better stop at Barhedrin and pick up atroop of the


Guard, said Ellimere. She turned about and started back down
the stairs. Ill write aletter to the captain there; they can accompany you to the Wall and make sure you get an escort from the
Perimeter Garrison to go with you further south. Id better let
theconsulate in Bain know as well; they can send some people
north to meet you. Bodyguards, with guns and so forth. Oh, and
the embassy in Corvere will need to be informed.
I thought Id go to Wyverley College first and talk to Magistrix Coelle, to see if she knows more, said Lirael. She felt rather
like ahorse who has convinced another to bolt from acorral but
cant keep up. Ellimere was now even more enthusiastic about
the mission than Lirael was herself.
Good idea, but dont go past the Wall without an escort, said
Ellimere. Just in case this is all atrap for Mother, since it could
as easily be atrap for you. Those Our Country idiots would be as
happy to kill an Abhorsen-in-Waiting as the Abhorsen herself.
Do you have everything you need to take?
As much as Ican fit in aPaperwing, said Lirael. One of the
first things Sabriel had taught her was to be ready to be called
upon at all times. The Dead and Free Magic creatures did not wait
on the convenience of packing atravelling kit.
You settle on anew sword?
One that will serve, for now, said Lirael. She had also lost her
sword Nehima in the binding of Orannis. With the royal armouries
open to her, she had tried several swords, good weapons of fine steel
imbued with Charter marks, but none felt entirely at home in her
hand. Sam had said he would make her one, but the hand came first,
and in any case it would take him ayear or more. But as she had told
him, the latest blade shed tried from the armoury was good enough.
So she had aCharter-spelled sword, her armoured coat of
gethre plates, and the seven bells of an Abhorsen. Few would
dare stand against her, so equipped.

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What are you waiting for?


Im not waiting... Im going! said Lirael. I mean, Im talking
to you, then Im going.
Ellimere laughed and gave Lirael aquick hug, before taking
several quick steps up the stairs towards the mews, pausing there
for afew final words.
Youre too easy to tease. Illcome see you off in the Paperwing courtyard in half an hour. With aletter for the Barhedrin
captain, and Illhave Mistress Finney send ahawk to Wyverley
now. Ive got abunch of messages to answer anyway.
Anything important? asked Lirael.
Dont think so! called out Ellimere, once again racing up the
stairs. The Bridge Company reporting some incident with the
nomads, afew other things. Routine!
But she was wrong. It wasnt routine trouble with the nomads.

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