Symbolism, Imagery, Allegory
When Sabriel dies in her final battle with Kerrigor, impaled on a sword, a familiar image is visible on her face:
Her sword loomed above her, blade and hilt casting the moon-shadow of a cross upon her face. (28.50)
Did you catch it? Yup—we're talking about the cross. Just as our hero dies, the a cross shows up on her body, and we can't help but think of a certain dude named Jesus when this happens. After all, crosses are kind of his thing, and just like Sabriel, death isn't the end of his story. This reference to Jesus, then, is also a moment of foreshadowing: if we're reading carefully, this is a pretty big clue that Sabriel's death isn't going to be final. And sure enough, just like Jesus, Sabriel returns to the land of the living.
This isn't the only time the cross gets mentioned, though, and it also shows up when Sabriel last bids her father farewell:
She hugged him tightly, her arms meeting around his back, his arms outstretched like a cross, sword in one hand, bell in the other. (23.38)
We guess you could say it runs in the family—or that it's part of the job. Either way, though, being the Abhorsen comes at a steep price.