Nix, Garth - Abhorsen 01 by Nix Garth

Author:Nix, Garth
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2006-12-22T21:11:35+00:00

“Not yet,” replied Sabriel. She could feel the Dead stirring in the village behind them and she could also see the archers now. There were four of them, two pairs, each behind one of the large, upthrust stones that marked where the breakwater joined the island. They looked young, nervous and were already proven to be of little threat.

“Hold!” shouted Sabriel. “We are friends!”

There was no reply, but the archers didn’t loose their nocked arrows.

“What’s the village leader’s title—usually, I file:///K|/eMule/Incoming/Garth%20Nix%20-%20Abhorsen%201%20-%20Sabriel.htm (153 of 292)22-12-2006 22:12:08

Prologue

mean? What are they called?” Sabriel whispered hurriedly to Touchstone, once again wishing she knew more about the Old Kingdom and its customs.

“In my day . . .” Touchstone replied slowly, his swords retracing the arrow ward, attention mostly on that, “in my day—Elder—for this size of village.”

“We wish to speak with your Elder!” shouted Sabriel. She pointed at the cloud-front advancing behind her, and added, “Before darkness falls!”

“Wait!” came the answer, and one of the archers scampered back from the rocks, up towards the buildings. Closer to, Sabriel realized they were probably boathouses or something like that.

The archer returned in a few minutes, an older man hobbling over the rocks behind him. The other three archers, seeing him, lowered their bows and returned shafts to quivers. Touchstone, seeing this, ceased to maintain the arrow ward. It hung in the air for a moment, then dissipated, leaving a momentary rainbow.

The Elder was named in fact, as well as title, they saw, as he limped along the breakwater. Long white hair blew like fragile cobwebs around his thin, wrinkled face, and he moved with the deliberate intention of the very old. He seemed unafraid, perhaps possessed of the disinterested courage of one already close to death.

“Who are you?” he asked, when he reached the gap, standing above the swirling waters like some prophet of legend, his deep orange cloak flapping around him from the rising breeze.

“What do you want?”

Sabriel opened her mouth to answer, but 262

Touchstone had already started to speak. Loudly.

“I am Touchstone, sworn swordsman for the Abhorsen, who stands before you. Are arrows your welcome for such folk as we?”

The old man was silent for a moment, his deep-set eyes focused on Sabriel, as if he could strip away any falsity or illusion by sight alone.

file:///K|/eMule/Incoming/Garth%20Nix%20-%20Abhorsen%201%20-%20Sabriel.htm (154 of 292)22-12-2006 22:12:08

Prologue

Sabriel met his gaze, but out of the corner of her mouth she whispered to Touchstone.

“What makes you think you can speak for me?

Wouldn’t a friendly approach be better? And since when are you my sworn—”

She stopped, as the old man cleared his throat to speak and spat into the water. For a moment, she thought that this was his response, but as neither the archers nor Touchstone reacted, it was obviously of no account.

“These are bad times,” the Elder said. “We have been forced to leave our firesides for the smoking sheds, warmth and comfort for seawinds and the stench of fish. Many of the people of Nestowe are dead—or worse. Strangers and travelers are rare in such times, and not always what they seem.

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