Garth Nix - Abhorsen (The Abhorsen Trilogy)

GARTH NIX

Abhorsen

To Anna and Thomas Henry Nix

Contents

PART ONE

A House Besieged

Into the Deep

Amaranth, Rosemary, and Tears

Breakfast of Ravens

Blow Wind, Come Rain!

The Silver Hemispheres

A Last Request

The Testing of Sameth

PART TWO

A Dream of Owls and Flying Dogs

Prince Sameth and Hedge

Hidden in the Reeds

The Destroyer in Nicholas

Details from the Disreputable Dog

Flight to the Wall

The Perimeter

A Majors Decision

PART THREE

Coming Home to Ancelstierre

Chlorr of the Mask

A Tin of Sardines

The Beginning of the End

Deeper into Death

Junction Boxes and Southerlings

Lathal the Abomination

Moggets Inscrutable Initiative

The Ninth Gate

Sam and the Shadow Hands

When the Lightning Stops

The Seven

The Choice of Yrael

Abhorsens House and Grounds

Prologue

FOG ROSE FROM the river, great billows of white weaving into the soot and smoke of the city of Corvere, to become the hybrid thing that the more popular newspapers called smog and the Times miasmic fog. Cold, dank, and foul-smelling, it was dangerous by any name. At its thickest, it could smother, and it could transform the faintest hint of a cough into pneumonia.

But the unhealthiness of the fog was not its chief danger. That came from its other primary feature. The Corvere fog was a concealer, a veil that shrouded the citys vaunted gaslights and confused both eyes and ears. When the fog lay on the city, all streets were dark, all echoes strange, and everywhere set for murder and mayhem.

The fog shows no signs of lifting, reported Damed, principal bodyguard to King Touchstone. His voice showed his dislike of the fog even though he knew it was only a natural phenomenon, a blend of industrial pollution and river-mist. Back in their home, the Old Kingdom, such fogs were often created by Free Magic sorcerers. Also, the... telephone... is not working, and the escort is both understrength and new. There is not one of the officers we usually have among them. I dont think you should go, sire.

Touchstone was standing by the window, peering out through the shutters. Theyd had to shutter all the windows some days ago, when some of the crowd outside had adopted slingshots. Before that, the demonstrators hadnt been able to throw half bricks far enough, as the mansion that housed the Old Kingdom Embassy was set in a walled park, and a good fifty yards back from the street.

Not for the first time, Touchstone wished that he could reach the Charter and draw upon it for strength and magical assistance. But they were five hundred miles south of the Wall, and the air was still and cold. Only when the wind blew very strongly from the north could he feel even the slightest touch of his magical heritage.

Sabriel felt the lack of the Charter even more, Touchstone knew. He glanced at his wife. She was at her desk, as usual, writing one last letter to an old school friend, a prominent businessman, or a member of the Ancelstierre Moot. Promising gold, or support, or introductions, or perhaps making thinly veiled threats of what would happen if they were stupid enough to support Corolinis attempts to settle hundreds of thousands of Southerling refugees over the Wall, in the Old Kingdom.

Touchstone still found it odd to see Sabriel dressed in Ancelstierran clothes, particularly their court clothes, as she was wearing today. She should be in her blue and silver tabard, with the bells of the Abhorsen across her chest, her sword at her side. Not in a silver dress with a hussars pelisse worn on one shoulder, and a strange little pillbox hat pinned to her deep-black hair. And the small automatic pistol in her silver mesh purse was no substitute for a sword.

Not that Touchstone felt at ease in his clothes either. An Ancelstierran shirt with its stiff collar and tie was too constricting, and his suit offered no protection at all. A sharp blade would slide through the double-breasted coat of superfine wool as easily as it would through butter, and as for a bullet...

Shall I convey your regrets, sire? asked Damed.

Touchstone frowned and looked at Sabriel. She had been to school in Ancelstierre, she understood the people and their ruling classes far better than he did. She led their diplomatic efforts south of the Wall, as she had always done.

No, said Sabriel. She stood up and sealed the last letter with a sharp tap. The Moot sits tonight, and it is possible Corolini will present his Forced Emigration Bill. Dawforths bloc may just give us the votes to defeat the motion. We must attend his garden party.

In this fog? asked Touchstone. How can he have a garden party?

They will ignore the weather, said Sabriel. We will all stand around, drinking green absinthe and eating carrots cut into elegant shapes, and pretend were having a marvelous time.

Carrots?

A fad of Dawforths, introduced by his swami, replied Sabriel. According to Sulyn.

She would know, said Touchstone, making a facebut at the prospect of raw carrots and green absinthe, not Sulyn. She was one of the old school friends who had been so much help to them. Sulyn, like the others at Wyverley College twenty years ago, had seen what happened when Free Magic was stirred up and grew strong enough to cross the Wall and run amok in Ancelstierre.

We will go, Damed, said Sabriel. But it would be sensible to put in place the plan we discussed.

I do beg your pardon, Milady Abhorsen, replied Damed. But Im not sure that it will increase your safety. In fact, it may make matters worse.

But it will be more fun, pronounced Sabriel. Are the cars ready? I shall just put on my coat and some boots.

Damed nodded reluctantly and left the room. Touchstone picked out a dark overcoat from a number that were draped across the back of a chaise longue and shrugged it on. Sabriel put on anothera mans coatand sat down to exchange her shoes for boots.

Damed isnt concerned without reason, Touchstone said as he offered his hand to Sabriel. And the fog is very thick. If we were at home, I wouldnt doubt it was made with malice aforethought.

The fog is natural enough, replied Sabriel. They stood close together and knotted each others scarves, finishing with a soft, brushing kiss. But I agree it may well be used against us. Yet I am so close to forming an alliance against Corolini. If Dawforth comes in, and the Sayres stay out of the matter

Little chance of that unless we can show them we havent made off with their precious son and nephew, growled Touchstone, but his attention was on his pistols. He checked both were loaded and there was a round in the chamber, hammer down and safety on. I wish we knew more about this guide Nicholas hired. I am sure I have heard the name Hedge before, and not in any positive light. If only wed met them on the Great South Road.

I am sure we will hear from Ellimere soon, said Sabriel as she checked her own pistol. Or perhaps even from Sam. We must leave that matter, at least, to the good sense of our children and deal with what is before us.

Touchstone grimaced at the notion of his childrens good sense, handed Sabriel a grey felt hat with a black band, twin to his own, and helped her remove the pillbox and pin her hair up underneath the replacement.