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best to wait a moment； to calm herself； sabriel thought； taking her hand away from the bandolier。
she sheathed her sword； and looked around the shed。 to her surprise； everyone except touchstone and mogget was asleep。 they had only caught the echoes of ranna； which shouldn鈥檛 have been enough。 of course； ranna could be tricksome too； but its trickery was far less troublesome。
鈥渢his is a mordaut；鈥潯he said to touchstone； who was stifling a half…born yawn。 鈥渁 weak spirit； catalogued as one of the lesser dead。 they like to ride with the living鈥攃ohabiting the body to some extent； directing it； and slowly sipping the spirit away。 it makes them hard to find。鈥�
鈥渨hat do we do with it now？鈥潯sked touchstone； eyeing the quivering lump of shadow with distaste。 it clearly couldn鈥檛 be cut up； consumed by fire； or anything else he could think of。
鈥渋 will banish it； send it back to die a true death；鈥潯eplied sabriel。 slowly； she drew kibeth； using both hands。 she still felt uneasy； for the bell was twisting in her grasp； trying to sound of its own accord； a sound that would make her walk in death。
she gripped it harder and rang the orthodox backwards； forwards and figure eight her father had taught her。 kibeth鈥檚 voice rang out； singing a merry tune； a capering jig that almost had sabriel鈥檚 feet jumping too； till she forced herself to be absolutely still。
the mordaut had no such free will。 for a moment； touchstone thought it was getting away； the shadow form suddenly leaping upwards； unreal flesh slipping up his blades almost to the cross…hilts。 then； it slid back down again鈥攁nd vanished。 back into death； to bob and spin in the current； howling and screaming with whatever voice it had there； all the way through to the final gate。
鈥渢hanks；鈥潯abriel said to touchstone。 she looked down at his two swords； still deeply embedded in the wooden floor。 they were no longer burning with silver flames； but she could see the charter marks moving on the blades。
鈥渋 didn鈥檛 realize your swords were ensorcelled；鈥�
she continued。 鈥渢hough i鈥檓 glad they are。鈥�
surprise crossed touchstone鈥檚 face； and confusion。
鈥渋 thought you knew；鈥潯e said。 鈥渋 took them from the queen鈥檚 ship。 they were a royal champion鈥檚 swords。 i didn鈥檛 want to take them； but mogget said you鈥斺��
he stopped in mid…sentence； as sabriel let out a heartfelt sigh。
鈥渨ell； anyway；鈥潯e continued。 鈥渓egend has it that the wallmaker made them； at the same time he鈥攐r she； i suppose鈥攎ade your sword。鈥�
鈥渕ine？鈥潯sked sabriel； her hand lightly touching the worn bronze of the guard。 she鈥檇 never thought about who鈥檇 made the sword鈥攊t just was。 鈥渋 was made for abhorsen； to slay those already dead；鈥潯he inscription said； when it said anything lucid at all。 so it probably was forged long ago； back in the distant past when the wall was made。 mogget would know； she thought。
mogget probably wouldn鈥檛； or couldn鈥檛； tell her鈥攂ut he would know。
鈥渋 suppose we鈥檇 better wake everybody up；鈥�
she said； dismissing speculation about swords for the immediate present。
鈥渁re there more dead？鈥潯sked touchstone； grunting as he pulled his swords free of the floor。
鈥渋 don鈥檛 think so；鈥潯eplied sabriel。 鈥渢hat mordaut was very clever； for it had hardly sapped the spirit of poor 。 。 。 patar 。 。 。 so its presence was masked by his life。 it would have e to the island in that box of grave dirt； having impressed the poor man with instructions before they left the mainland。 i doubt whether any others would have done the same。 i can鈥檛 sense any here； at least。 i guess i should check the other buildings； and walk around the island； just to be sure。鈥�
鈥渘ow？鈥潯sked touchstone。
鈥渘ow；鈥潯onfirmed sabriel。 鈥渂ut let鈥檚 wake everyone up first； and organize some people to carry lights for us。 we鈥檇 also better talk to the elder about a boat for the morning。鈥�
鈥渁nd a good supply of fish；鈥潯dded mogget； who鈥檇 slunk back to the half…eaten whiting； his voice sharp above the heavy drone of snoring fisher…folk。
there were no dead on the island； though the archers reported seeing strange lights moving in the village； during brief lulls in the rain。 they鈥檇 heard movement on the breakwater too； and shot fire arrows onto the stones； but saw nothing before the crude； oily rag鈥搘rapped shafts guttered out。
sabriel advanced out on the breakwater； and stood near the sea gap； her oilskin coat loosely draped over her shoulders； shedding rain to the ground and down her neck。 she couldn鈥檛 see anything through the rain and dark； but she could feel the dead。 there were more than she had sensed earlier； or they had grown much stronger。 then； with a sickening feeling； she realized that this strength belonged to a single creature； only now emerging from death； using the broken stone as a portal。 an instant later； she recognized its particular presence。
the mordicant had found her。
鈥渢ouchstone；鈥潯he asked； fighting to keep the shivers from her voice。 鈥渃an you sail a boat by night？鈥�
鈥測es；鈥潯eplied touchstone； his voice impersonal again； face dark in the rainy night； the lantern…light from the villagers behind him lighting only his back and feet。 he hesitated； as if he shouldn鈥檛 be offering an opinion； then added； 鈥渂ut it would be much more dangerous。 i don鈥檛 know this coast； and the night is very dark。鈥�
鈥渕ogget can see in the dark；鈥潯abriel said quietly； moving closer to touchstone so the villagers couldn鈥檛 hear her。
鈥渨e have to leave immediately；鈥潯he whispered； while pretending to adjust her oilskin。 鈥渁 mordicant has e。 the same one that pursued me before。鈥�
鈥渨hat about the people here？鈥潯sked touchstone； so softly the sound of the rain almost washed his words away鈥攂ut there was the faint sound of reproof under his business…like tone。
鈥渢he mordicant is after me；鈥潯uttered sabriel。 she could sense it moving away from the stone； questing about； using its otherwordly senses to find her。 鈥渋t can feel my presence； as i feel it。 when i go； it will follow。鈥�
鈥渋f we stay till morning；鈥潯ouchstone whispered back； 鈥渨on鈥檛 we be safe？ you said even a mordicant couldn鈥檛 cross this gap。鈥�
鈥渋 said； 鈥榠 think；鈥欌�潯altered sabriel。 鈥渋t has grown stronger。 i can鈥檛 be sure鈥斺��
鈥渢hat thing back in the shed； the mordaut； it wasn鈥檛 very difficult to destroy；鈥潯ouchstone whispered； the confidence of ignorance in his voice。 鈥渋s this mordicant much worse？鈥�
鈥渕uch；鈥潯eplied sabriel shortly。
the mordicant had stopped moving。 the rain seemed to be dampening both its senses and its desire to find her and slay。 sabriel stared vainly out into the darkness； trying to peer past the sheets of rain； to gain the evidence provided by sight； as well as her necromantic senses。
鈥渞iemer；鈥潯he said； loudly now； calling to the villager who was in charge of their lanternholders。
he came forward quickly； gingery hair plastered flat on his rounded head； rainwater dripping down from a high forehead to catapult itself off the end of his pudgy nose。
鈥渞iemer； have the archers keep very careful watch。 tell them to shoot anything that es onto the breakwater鈥攖here is nothing living out there now。 only the dead。 we need to go back and talk to your elder。鈥�
they walked back in silence； save for the sloshing of boots in puddles and the steady finger…applause of the rain。 at least half of sabriel鈥檚 attention stayed with the mordicant； a malign； stomachache…inducing presence across the dark water。 she wondered why it was waiting。
waiting for the rain to stop； or perhaps for the now…banished mordaut to attack from within。 whatever its reasons； it gave them a little time to get to a boat； and lead it away。 and perhaps； there was always the chance that it couldn鈥檛 cross the breakwater gap。
鈥渨hat time is low tide？鈥潯he asked riemer； as a new thought struck。
鈥渁h； just about an hour before dawn；鈥潯eplied the fisherman。 鈥渁bout six hours； if i鈥檓 any judge。鈥�
the elder awoke crankily from his second sleep。 he was loath for them to go in the night； though sabriel felt that at least half of his reluctance was due to their need for a boat。 the villagers only had five left。 the others had been sunk in the harbor； drowned and broken by the stones hurled down by the dead； eager to stop the escape of their living prey。
鈥渋鈥檓 sorry；鈥潯abriel said again。 鈥渂ut we must have a boat and we need it now。 there is a terrible dead creature in the village鈥攊t tracks like a hunting dog； and the trail it follows is mine。 if i stay； it will try and e here鈥攁nd； at the ebb； it may be able to cross the gap in the breakwater。
if i go； it will follow。鈥�
鈥渧ery well；鈥潯he elder agreed； mulishly。 鈥測ou have cleansed this island for us； a boat is a little thing。 riemer will prepare it with food and water。 riemer！ the abhorsen will have landalin鈥檚 boat鈥攎ake sure it is stocked and seaworthy。 take sails from jaled； if landalin鈥檚 is short or rotten。鈥�
鈥渢hank you；鈥潯aid sabriel。 tiredness weighed down on her； tiredness and the weight of awareness。
awareness of her enemies； like a darkness always clouding the edge of her vision。 鈥渨e will go now。 my good wishes stay with you； and my hopes for your safety。鈥�
鈥渕ay the charter preserve us all；鈥潯dded touchstone； bowing to the old man。 the elder bowed back； a bent； solemn figure； so much smaller than his shadow； looming tall on the wall behind。
sabriel turned to go； but a long line of villagers was forming on the way to the door。 all of them wanted to bow or curtsey before her； to mutter shy thank…yous and farewells。 sabriel accepted them with embarrassment and guilt； remembering patar。 true； she had banished the dead； but another life had been lost in the doing。 her father would not have been so clumsy 。 。 。
the second…to…last person in the line was a little girl； her black hair tied in two plaits； one on either side of her head。 seeing her made sabriel remember something touchstone had said。 she stopped； and took the girl鈥檚 hands in her own。
鈥渨hat is your name； little one？鈥潯he asked； smiling。 a feeling of d茅j脿 vu swept over her as the small fingers met hers鈥攖he memory of a frightened first…grader hesitantly reaching out to the older pupil who would be her guide for the first day at wyverley college。 sabriel had experienced both sides； in her time。
鈥渁line；鈥潯aid the girl； smiling back。 her eyes were bright and lively； too young to be dimmed by the frightened despair that clouded the adults鈥櫋aze。 a good choice； sabriel thought。
鈥渘ow； tell me what you have learned in your lessons about the great charter；鈥潯abriel said； adopting the familiar； motherly and generally irrelevant questioning tone of the school inspector who鈥檇 descended on every class in wyverley twice a year。
鈥渋 know the rhyme 。 。 。鈥潯eplied aline； a little doubtfully； her small forehead crinkling。 鈥渟hall i sing it； like we do in class？鈥�
sabriel nodded。
鈥渨e dance around the stone； too；鈥潯line added； confidingly。 she stood up straighter； put one foot forward； and took her hands away to clasp them behind her back。
five great charters knit the land together linked； hand in hand one in the people who wear the crown two in the folk who keep the dead down three and five became stone and mortar four sees all in frozen water。
鈥渢hank you； aline；鈥潯abriel said。 鈥渢hat was very nice。鈥�
she ruffled the child鈥檚 hair and hastened through the final farewells； suddenly keen to get out of the smoke and the fish…smell； out into the clean； rainy air where she could think。
鈥渟o now you know；鈥潯hispered mogget； jumping up into her arms to escape the puddles。
鈥渋 still can鈥檛 tell you； but you know one鈥檚 in your blood。鈥�
鈥渢wo；鈥潯eplied sabriel distantly。 鈥溾�榯wo in the folk who keep the dead down。鈥櫋o what is the 。 。 。 ah 。 。 。 i can鈥檛 talk about it either！鈥�
but she thought about the questions she鈥檇 like to ask； as touchstone helped her aboard the small fishing vessel that lay just off the tiny； shell…laden beach that served the island as a harbor。
one of the great charters lay in the royal blood。 the second lay in abhorsen鈥檚。 what were three and five； and four that saw all in frozen water？ she felt certain that many answers could be found in belisaere。 her father could probably answer more； for many things that were bound in life were unraveled in death。 and there was her mother…sending； for that third and final questioning in this seven years。
touchstone pushed off； clambered aboard and took the oars。 mogget leapt out of sabriel鈥檚 arms； and assumed a figurehead position near the prow； serving as a night…sighted lookout； while mocking touchstone at the same time。
back on shore； the mordicant suddenly howled； a long； piercing cry that echoed far across the water； chilling hearts on both boat and island。
鈥渂ear a bit more to starboard；鈥潯aid mogget； in the silence after the howl faded。 鈥渨e need more sea…room。鈥�
touchstone was quick to ply。
chapter xviii
灏忥伎璇磘xt澶╋伎鍫�
by the morning of the sixth day out of nestowe； sabriel was heartily tired of na