Sabriel Chapter 29 Summary

  • Kerrigor seems to be finished "digesting" what remains of Mogget (ew). Sabriel wonders if Kerrigor will be weaker far away from the Old Kingdom, and considers ringing two bells at once to defeat him.
  • As Sabriel takes out her bells, Kerrigor speaks words of Free Magic to still her movements. In the nick of time though, a dying student at Sabriel's feet touches her ankle, sending a tiny bit of magic into Sabriel as she dies. It's enough to free her hands, and Sabriel rings the bells, Saraneth and Kibeth.
  • Sabriel's bells force Kerrigor back into his original body in the sarcophagus—he screams and melts into his original body, both forms combining, and the two bells crack.
  • Sabriel tries to stab Kerrigor with Abhorsen's sword, but it's futile—as Kerrigor advances, Sabriel feels the ring that once bound Mogget start to expand on her finger. Kerrigor brushes his face across hers, telling her it's "a kiss from an uncle who has known you since birth" (29.29).
  • As Kerrigor bends to sap her life force, Sabriel slips the expanded ring over his head. Kerrigor writhes, caught by the ring, but as he does so, he pulls Sabriel's sword from his body and impales her on it.
  • Sabriel watches Kerrigor advance on Touchstone as she bleeds, and nearly gives up until she realizes she hasn't felt Touchstone die. The ring successfully traps Kerrigor, leaving behind "a mound of darkness" (29.48), then Sabriel, in her weakened state, rings the Ranna bell to complete the final rites and banish Kerrigor into Death.
  • The mound of darkness splits into two halves, one black, one white, which turn into a black and white cat, each with identical red leather collars with miniature Ranna bells. Each cat spits up a silver ring. (Surely there must be a better way to get jewelry in this world.)
  • Sabriel appears to be dead: "Her sword loomed above her, blade and hilt casting the moon-shadow of a cross upon her face" (29.50).