Elinor, too old to be a student, is hired as a choreographer for Wyverley's theater program. During her time there, she requests to learn Charter magic from the Magistrix, Mrs. Tallowe; the woman refuses, as she is secretly afraid of Charter magic and only teaches the extreme rudiments. Elinor therefore looks to the students of the school, three of whom (Hazra, Corinna, and Angharad) hold secret meetings in the cellar to teach Charter magic to each other. Elinor finally begins to learn, no longer considering her baptismal mark a flaw.

i do love the old kingdom and will read any book set in this world just because it's so real and developedThe Dead: The Dead are ghosts with both the inclination and the ability to resist the river of Death, who re-enter the world of Life. Though a rare few emerge into Life on their own power, most must be summoned by a necromancer or emerge near a broken Charter Stone (where the Charter's influence has been severely diminished, creating a "door into Death"), or where many deaths have recently occurred. All Dead are averse to running water, and most are unable to withstand direct sunlight. Elinor and a still-wounded Terciel meet again; there is immediate attraction between them. Later in the day, Filris, the Clayr's expert Infirmarian, extracts a tiny grain of Free Magic glass that had entered Terciel's leg during the struggle for the chain. With curative spells now having healed Terciel's leg almost completely, Tizanael (who is secretly in ill health with a doubtful amount of time left alive) proclaims they will begin the journey to ambush and chain Kerrigor the next day. Kerrigor, a member of the Greater Dead, who for the last 200 years has been slowly eroding the Charter's presence in the Old Kingdom.

Unfortunately, Terciel did not bring his bells, only has his weaker necromantic panpipes; Mrs. Watkins and Mr. Corbin are slain in the standoff. Terciel and Elinor are only saved by the timely appearance of Tizanael, Terciel's wizened but powerful great-aunt and the Abhorsen proper. She sends Uhrux (whom we learn was working for Kerrigor) fleeing. Elinor Hallett doesn’t know a thing about magic, or necromancy. Raised at Coldhallow House primarily by her governess, Mrs. Watkins, and an old circus performer named Ham Corbin, she knows all of Charlotte Breakspear’s plays, how to juggle, how to do stage fighting, and how to act, but she’s ignorant about the Old Kingdom, despite the fact that the Wall separating the two countries is only miles away. I have honestly never failed to thoroughly enjoy anything in this series. The Old Kingdom is one of the very few stories that I love completely outside of which characters feature. I am normally a very character-driven reader, but the Old Kingdom I love for its own sake. I love the Abhorsen's House, the charter magic, the paperwings, Moggett, the bells...The First Precinct is mostly knee-deep water, but has eddies and pools dangerous to the interloper. Its Gate is a huge waterfall. The Plague has left a population divided between Elites and Ordinaries—those who have powers and those who don’t; now, an Ordinary teen fights for her life.

i really did not care about terciel's chapters like at all. there were also a few sentences here and there where i was reminded "oh right terciel is supposed to have character development" but it felt so forced. honestly i got more a sense of him from sabriel and he was barely even in that one, even in sabriel's memories Charter Sendings: Charter Sendings are servants or sentries constructed entirely of Charter Marks. Many may only act within a given function, which can be of indefinite complexity. Certain fixtures excepted (such as a surcoat or insignia), Charter Sendings do not possess a concrete physical shape, and derive identity primarily from their function. They are capable of emotive response, but show little desire except to fulfill their mandates.

Success!

i also enjoyed elinor as a character and her circumstances. i like the extra little twist where she's actually clayr and especially that she ends up living in the glacier at the end as a clayr (and that this means sabriel is half clayr herself) The Seventh Precinct is not described, though presumably it is similar to the First and Fourth Precincts. Its Gate is a line of fire that stretches across the river.