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on the cool flagstones again； she opened her eyes； the left one blurry； sore and swimming with tears鈥攂ut still there and still working。
she had put the silver hoop over the thing鈥檚 head； and it was slowly sliding down that long； sinuous neck。 the ring was shrinking again as it slid； impervious to the creature鈥檚 desperate attempts to get it off。 it had six or seven hands now； formed directly from its shoulders； all squirming about； trying to force fingers under the ring。 but the metal seemed inimical to the creature鈥檚 substance； like a hot pan to human fingers； for the fingers flinched and danced around it； but could not take hold for longer than a second。
the darkness that stained it was ebbing too； draining down through its thrashing； twisting support； leaving glowing whiteness behind。 still the creature fought with the ring； blazing hands forming and re…forming； body twisting and turning； even bucking； as if it could throw the ring like a rider from a horse。
finally； it gave up and turned towards sabriel； screaming and crackling。 two long arms sprang out from it； reaching towards sabriel鈥檚 sprawling body； talons growing from the hands； raking the stone with deep gouges as they scrabbled towards her； like spiders scuttling to their prey鈥敗nly to fall short by a yard or more。
鈥渘o！鈥潯owled the thing； and its whole twisting； coiling body lurched forward； killing arms outstretched。 again； the talons fell short； as sabriel crawled； rolled and pushed herself away。
then the silver ring contracted once more； and a terrible shout of anguish； rage and despair came from the very center of the white…flaming thing。 its arms suddenly shrank back to its torso； the head fell into the shoulders； and the whole body sank into an amorphous blob of shimmering white； with a single； still…large silver band around the middle； the ruby glittering like a drop of blood。
sabriel stared at it； unable to look aside； or do anything else； even quell the flow from her bleeding nose； which now covered half her face and chin； her mouth glued shut with dried and clotting blood。 it seemed to her that something was left undone； something that she had to provide。
nervously crawling closer； she saw that there were now marks on the ring； charter marks that told her what she must do。 wearily； she got up on her knees and fumbled with the bellbandolier。
saraneth was heavy； almost beyond her strength； but she managed to draw it out； and the deep； pelling voice rang through the sinkhole； seeming to pierce the glowing； silverbound mass。
the ring hummed in answer to the bell and exuded a pear…shaped drop of its own metal； which cooled to bee a miniature saraneth。
at the same time； the ring changed color and consistency。 the ruby鈥檚 color seemed to run； and a red wash spread through the silver。 it was now dull and ordinary； no longer a silver band； but a red leather collar； with a miniature silver bell。
with this change； the white mass quivered； and shone bright again； till sabriel had to shield her eyes once more。 when the shadows grew together again； she looked back； and there was mogget； collared in red leather； sitting up and looking like he was about to throw up a hairball。
it wasn鈥檛 a hairball； but a silver ring； the ruby reflecting mogget鈥檚 internal light。 it rolled to sabriel； tinkling across the stone。 she picked it up and slid it back on her finger。
mogget鈥檚 glow faded； and the burning paperwing was now only faint embers； sad memories and ash。 darkness returned； cloaking sabriel； wrapping her up with all her hurts and fears。 she sat； silent； not even thinking。
a little later； she felt a soft cat nose against her folded hands； and a candle； damp from mogget鈥檚 mouth。
鈥測our nose is still bleeding；鈥潯aid a familiar； didactic voice。 鈥渓ight the candle； pinch your nose； and get some blankets out for us to sleep。
it鈥檚 getting cold。鈥�
鈥渨ele back； mogget；鈥潯hispered sabriel。
www//c o m
chapter xiii
灏彙‘t。xt。澶ｅ爞
neither sabriel nor mogget mentioned the happenings of the previous night when they awoke。 sabriel； bathing her seriously swollen nose in an inch of water from her canteen； found that she didn鈥檛 particularly want to remember a waking nightmare； and mogget was quiet； in an apologetic way。 despite what happened later； freeing mogget鈥檚 alter ego； or whatever it was； had saved them from certain destruction by the wind。
as she鈥檇 expected； dawn had brought some light to the sinkhole； and as the day progressed； this had grown to a level approximating twilight。
sabriel could read and see things close by quite clearly； but they merged into indistinct gloom twenty or thirty yards away。
not that the sinkhole was much larger than that鈥攑erhaps a hundred yards in diameter； not the fifty she鈥檇 guessed at when she was ing down。 the entire floor of it was paved； with a circular drain in the middle； and there were several tunnel entrances into the sheer rock walls鈥攖unnels which sabriel knew she would eventually have to take； as there was no water in the sinkhole。 there seemed little chance of rain； either。 it was cool； but nowhere near as cold as the plateau near abhorsen鈥檚 house。
the climate was mitigated by proximity to the ocean； and an altitude that could easily be sealevel or below； for in daylight sabriel could see that the sinkhole was at least a hundred yards deep。
still； with a half…full canteen of water gurgling by her side； sabriel was quite content to slouch upon her slightly scorched pack and apply herbal creams to her bruises； and a poultice of evilsmelling tanmaril leaves to her strange sunburn。
her nose was a different matter when it came to treatment。 it wasn鈥檛 broken鈥攎erely hideous； swollen and encrusted with dried blood； which hurt too much to clean off pletely。
mogget； after an hour or so of sheepish silence； sauntered off to explore； refusing sabriel鈥檚 offer of hard cakes and dried meat for breakfast。 she expected he鈥檇 find a rat； or something equally appetizing； instead。 in a way； she was quite pleased he was gone。 the memory of the free magic beast that lay within the little white cat was still disturbing。
even so； when the sun had risen to bee a little disc surrounded by the greater circumference of the sinkhole鈥檚 rim； she started to wonder why he hadn鈥檛 e back。 levering herself up； she limped over to the tunnel he鈥檇 chosen； using her sword as a walking stick and plaining quietly as every bruise reminded her of its location。
of course； just as she was lighting a candle at the tunnel entrance mogget reappeared behind her。
鈥渓ooking for me？鈥潯e mewed； innocently。
鈥渨ho else？鈥潯eplied sabriel。 鈥渉ave you found anything？ anything useful； i mean。 water； for instance。鈥�
鈥渦seful？鈥潯used mogget； rubbing his chin back along his two outstretched front legs。
鈥減erhaps。 interesting； certainly。 water？ yes。鈥�
鈥渉ow far away？鈥潯sked sabriel； all too aware of her bruise…limited mobility。 鈥渁nd what does interesting mean？ dangerous？鈥�
鈥渘ot far； by this tunnel；鈥潯eplied mogget。
鈥渢here is a little danger getting there鈥攁 trap and a few other oddments； but nothing that will harm you。 as to the interesting part； you will have to see for yourself； abhorsen。鈥�
鈥渟abriel；鈥潯aid sabriel automatically； as she tried to think ahead。 she needed at least two days鈥櫋est； but no more than that。 every day lost before she found her father鈥檚 corporeal body might mean disaster。 she simply had to find him soon。
a mordicant； shadow hands； gore crows鈥攊t was now all too clear that some terrible enemy was arrayed against both father and daughter。
that enemy had already trapped her father； so it had to be a very powerful necromancer； or some greater dead creature。 perhaps this kerrigor 。 。 。
鈥渋鈥檒l get my pack；鈥潯he decided； trudging back； mogget slipping backwards and forwards across her path like a kitten； almost tripping her； but always just getting out of the way。 sabriel put this down to inexplicable catness； and didn鈥檛 ment。
as mogget had promised； the tunnel wasn鈥檛 long； and its well…made steps and cross…hatched floor made passage easy； save for the part where sabriel had to follow the little cat exactly across the stones； to avoid a cleverly concealed pit。
without mogget鈥檚 guidance； sabriel knew she would have fallen in。
there were magical wardings too。 old； inimical spells lay like moths in the corners of the tunnel； waiting to fly up at her； to surround and choke her with power鈥攂ut something checked their first reaction and they settled again。 a few times； sabriel experienced a ghostly touch； like a hand reaching out to brush the charter mark on her forehead； and almost at the end of the tunnel； she saw two guard sendings melting into the rock； the tips of their halberds glinting in her candlelight before they； too； merged into stone。
鈥渨here are we going？鈥潯he whispered； nervously； as the door in front of them slowly creaked open鈥攚ithout visible means of propulsion。
鈥渁nother sinkhole；鈥潯ogget said； matter…offactly。
鈥渋t is where the first blood 。 。 。 ach 。 。 。鈥�
he choked； hissed； and then rephrased his sentence rather drably； with 鈥渋t is interesting。鈥�
鈥渨hat do you mean鈥斺�潯abriel began； but she fell silent as they passed the doorway； magical force suddenly tugging at her hair； her hands； her surcoat； the hilt of her sword。 mogget鈥檚 fur stood on end； and his collar rotated halfway around of its own accord； till the charter marks of binding were uppermost and clearly readable； bright against the leather。
then they were out； standing at the bottom of another sinkhole； in a premature twilight； for the sun was already slipping over the circumscribed horizon of the sinkhole rim。
this sinkhole was much wider than the first鈥敗erhaps a mile across； and deeper； say six or seven hundred feet。 despite its size； the entire vast pit was sealed off from the upper air by a gleaming； web…thin net； which seemed to merge into the rim wall about a quarter of the way down from the surface。 sunlight had given it away； but even so； sabriel had to use her telescope to see the delicate diamond…pattern weave clearly。 it looked flimsy； but the presence of several dessicated bird…corpses indicated considerable strength。 sabriel guessed the unfortunate birds had dived into the net； eyes greedily intent on food below。
in the sinkhole itself； there was considerable； if uninspiring vegetation鈥攎ostly stunted trees and malformed bushes。 but sabriel had little attention to spare for the trees； for in between each of these straggling patches of greenery； there were paved areas鈥攁nd on each of these paved areas rested a ship。
fourteen open…decked； single…masted longboats； their black sails set to catch a nonexistent wind； oars out to battle an imaginary tide。 they flew many flags and standards； all limp against mast and rigging； but sabriel didn鈥檛 need to see them unfurled to know what strange cargo these ships might bear。 she鈥檇 heard of this place； as had every child in the northern parts of ancelstierre； close to the old kingdom。 hundreds of tales of treasure； adventure and romance were woven around this strange harbor。
鈥渇unerary ships；鈥潯aid sabriel。 鈥渞oyal ships。鈥�
she had further confirmation that this was so； for there were binding spells woven into the very dirt her feet scuffed at the tunnel entrance； spells of final death that could only have been laid by an abhorsen。 no necromancer would ever raise any of the ancient rulers of the old kingdom。
鈥渢he famous burial ground of the first 。 。 。
ckkk 。 。 。 the kings and queens of the old kingdom；鈥潯ronounced mogget； after some difficulty。
he danced around sabriel鈥檚 feet； then stood on his hind legs and made expansive gestures； like a circus impresario in white fur。
finally； he shot off into the trees。
鈥渆 on鈥攖here鈥檚 a spring； spring； spring！鈥潯e caroled； as he leaped up and down in time with his words。
sabriel followed at a slower pace； shaking her head and wondering what had happened to make mogget so cheerful。 she felt bruised； tired and depressed； shaken by the free magic monster； and sad about the paperwing。
they passed close by two of the ships on their way to the spring。 mogget led her a merry dance around both of them； in a mad circumnavigation of twists； leaps and bounds； but the sides were too high to look in and she didn鈥檛 feel like shinning up an oar。 she did pause to look at the figureheads鈥敗mposing men； one in his forties； the other somewhat older。 both were bearded； had the same imperious eyes； and wore armor similar to sabriel鈥檚； heavily festooned with medallions； chains and other decorations。 each held a sword in his right hand； and an unfurling scroll that turned back on itself in their left鈥攖he heraldic representation of the charter。
the third ship was different。 it seemed shorter and less ornate； with a bare mast devoid of black sails。 no oars sprang from its sides； and as sabriel reached the spring that lay under its stern； she saw uncaulked seams between the planking； and realized that it was inplete。
curious； she dropped her pack by the little pool of bubbling water and walked around to the bow。
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