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cooking food； wood smoke； incense； oil； the occasional disgusting whiff of what could only be sewage 。 。 。
鈥渋t was also a lot cleaner；鈥潯dded touchstone。
鈥渓ook； i think we鈥檇 best find an inn or hostelry。 somewhere to stay for the night。鈥�
鈥測es；鈥潯eplied sabriel。 she was reluctant to enter the human tide。 there were no dead among them； as far as she could sense； but they must have some kind of acmodation or agreement with the dead and that stank to her far more than sewage。
touchstone snagged a passing boy by the shoulder as sabriel continued to eye the crowd； nose wrinkling。 they spoke together for a moment； a silver penny changed hands； then the boy slid into the rush； touchstone following。 he looked back； saw sabriel staring absently； and grabbed her by the hand； dragging both her and the lazy； fox…fur…positioned mogget after him。
it was the first time sabriel had touched him since he鈥檇 been revived and she was surprised by the shock it gave her。 certainly； her mind had been wandering； and it was a sudden grab 。 。 。
his hand felt larger than it should； and interestingly calloused and textured。 quickly； she slipped her hand out of his； and concentrated on following both him and the boy； weaving across the main direction of the crowd。
they went through the middle of the opentopped market； along one street of little booths鈥攐bviously the street of fish and fowl。
the harbor end was alive with boxes and boxes of fresh…caught fish； clear…eyed and wriggling。
vendors yelled their prices； or their best buy； and buyers shouted offers or amazement at the price。 baskets； bags and boxes changed hands； empty ones to be filled with fish or lobster； squid or shellfish。 coins went from palm to palm； or； occasionally； whole purses disgorged their shining contents into the belt…pouches of the stallholders。
towards the other end it grew a little quieter。
the stalls here had cages upon cages of chickens； but their trade was slower； and many of the chickens looked old and stunted。 sabriel； seeing an expert knife…man beheading row after row of chickens and dropping them to flop headless in a box； concentrated on shutting out their bewildered featherbrained experience of death。
beyond the market there was a wide swath of empty ground。 it had obviously been intentionally cleared； first with fire； then with mattock； shovel and bar。 sabriel wondered why； till she saw the aqueduct that ran beyond and parallel to this strip of wasteland。 the city folk who lived in the valley didn鈥檛 have an agreement with the dead鈥攖heir part of the city was bounded by aqueducts； and the dead could no more walk under running water than over it。
the cleared ground was a precaution； allowing the aqueducts to be guarded鈥攁nd sure enough； sabriel saw a patrol of archers marching atop it； their regularly moving shapes silhouetted； shadow puppets against the sky。 the boy was leading them to a central arch； which rose up through two of the aqueduct鈥檚 four tiers； and there were more archers there。
smaller arches continued on each side； supporting the aqueduct鈥檚 main channel； but these were heavily overgrown with thornbushes； to prevent unauthorized entry by the living； while the swift water overhead held back the dead。
sabriel drew her boat cloak tight as they passed under the arch； but the guards paid them no more attention than was required to extort a silver penny from touchstone。 they seemed very third…rate鈥攅ven fourth…rate鈥敗oldiers； who were probably more constables and watchkeepers than anything else。 none bore the charter mark； or had any trace of free magic。
beyond the aqueduct； streets wound chaotically from an unevenly paved square； plete with an eccentrically spouting fountain鈥攖he water jetted from the ears of a statue； a statue of an impressively crowned man。
鈥渒ing anstyr the third；鈥潯aid touchstone； pointing at the fountain。 鈥渉e had a strange sense of humor； by all accounts。 i鈥檓 glad it鈥檚 still there。鈥�
鈥渨here are we going？鈥潯sked sabriel。 she felt better now that she knew the citizenry weren鈥檛 in league with the dead。
鈥渢his boy says he knows a good inn；鈥潯eplied touchstone； indicating the ragged urchin who was grinning just out of reach of the alwaysexpected blow。
鈥渟ign of three lemons；鈥潯aid the boy。 鈥渂est in the city； lord； lady。鈥�
he had just turned back from them to go on； when a loud； badly cast bell sounded from somewhere towards the harbor。 it rang three times； the sound sending pigeons racketing into flight from the square。
鈥渨hat鈥檚 that？鈥潯sked sabriel。 the boy looked at her； open…mouthed。 鈥渢he bell。鈥�
鈥渟unfall；鈥潯eplied the boy； once he knew what she was asking。 he said it as if stating the blindingly obvious。 鈥渆arly； i reckon。 must be cloud ing； or somefing。鈥�
鈥渆veryone es in when the sunfall bell sounds？鈥潯sked sabriel。
鈥渃ourse！鈥潯norted the boy。 鈥渙therwise the haunts or the ghlims get you。鈥�
鈥渋 see；鈥潯eplied sabriel。 鈥渓ead on。鈥�
surprisingly； the sign of three lemons was quite a pleasant inn。 a whitewashed building of four storys； it fronted onto a smaller square some two hundred yards from king anstyr鈥檚 fountain square。 there were three enormous lemon trees in the middle of the square； somehow thick with pleasant…smelling leaves and copious amounts of fruit； despite the season。 charter magic； thought sabriel； and sure enough； there was a charter stone hidden amongst the trees； and a number of ancient spells of fertility； warmth and bountitude。 sabriel sniffed the lemon…scented air gratefully； thankful that her room had a window fronting the square。
behind her； a maid was filling a tin bath with hot water。 several large buckets had already gone in鈥攖his would be the last。 sabriel closed the window and came over to look at the stillsteaming water in anticipation。
鈥渨ill that be all； miss？鈥潯sked the maid； halfcurtseying。
鈥測es； thank you；鈥潯eplied sabriel。 the maid edged out the door； and sabriel slid the bar across； before divesting herself of her cloak； and then the stinking； sweat… and salt…encrusted armor and garments that had virtually stuck to her after almost a week at sea。 naked； she rested her sword against the bath鈥檚 rim鈥攊n easy reach鈥攖hen sank gratefully into the water； taking up the lump of lemon…scented soap to begin removing the caked grime and sweat。
through the wall； she could hear a man鈥檚鈥敗ouchstone鈥檚鈥攙oice。 then water gurgling； that maid giggling。 sabriel stopped soaping and concentrated on the sound。 it was hard to hear； but there was more giggling； a deep； indistinct male voice； then a loud splash。 like two bodies in a bath rather than one。
there was silence for a while； then more splashing； gasps； giggles鈥攚as that touchstone laughing？ then a series of short； sharp； moans。
womanly ones。 sabriel flushed and gritted her teeth at the same time； then quickly lowered her head into the water so she couldn鈥檛 hear； leaving only her nose and mouth exposed。 underwater； all was silent； save for the dull booming of her heart； echoing in her flooded ears。
what did it matter？ she didn鈥檛 think of touchstone in that way。 sex was the last thing on her mind。 just another plication鈥敗ontraception鈥攎essiness鈥攅motions。 there were enough problems。 concentrate on planning。
think ahead。 it was just because touchstone was the first young man she鈥檇 met out of school； that was all。 it was none of her business。 she didn鈥檛 even know his real name 。 。 。
a dull tapping noise on the side of the bath made her raise her head out of the water； just in time to hear a very self…satisfied； masculine and drawn…out moan from the other side of the wall。
she was about to stick her head back under； when mogget鈥檚 pink nose appeared on the rim。
so she sat up； water cascading down her face； hiding the tears she told herself weren鈥檛 there。
angrily； she crossed her arms across her breasts and said； 鈥渨hat do you want？鈥�
鈥渋 just thought that you might like to know that touchstone鈥檚 room is that way；鈥潯aid mogget； indicating the silent room opposite the one with the noisy couple。 鈥渋t hasn鈥檛 got a bathtub； so he鈥檇 like to know if he can use yours when you鈥檙e finished。 he鈥檚 waiting downstairs in the meantime； getting the local news。鈥�
鈥渙h；鈥潯eplied sabriel。 she looked across at the far； silent wall； then back to the close wall； where the human noises were now largely lost in the groaning of bedsprings。 鈥渨ell； tell him i won鈥檛 be long。鈥�
twenty minutes later； a clean sabriel； garbed in a borrowed dress made incongruous by her sword…belt （the bell…bandolier lay under her bed； with mogget asleep on top of it）； crept on slippered feet through the largely empty mon room and tapped the salty； begrimed touchstone on the back； making him spill his beer。
鈥測our turn for the bath；鈥潯abriel said cheerily； 鈥渕y evil…smelling swordsman。 i鈥檝e just had it refilled。 mogget鈥檚 in the room； by the way。 i hope you don鈥檛 mind。鈥�
鈥渨hy would i mind？鈥潯sked touchstone； as much puzzled by her manner as the question。 鈥渋 just want to get clean； that鈥檚 all。鈥�
鈥済ood；鈥潯eplied sabriel； obscurely。 鈥渋鈥檒l organize for dinner to be served in your room； so we can plan as we eat。鈥�
in the event； the planning didn鈥檛 take long； nor was it slow in dampening what was otherwise a relatively festive occasion。 they were safe for the moment； clean； well…fed鈥攁nd able to forget past troubles and future fears for a little while。
but； as soon as the last dish鈥攁 squid stew； with garlic； barley； yellow squash and tarragon vinegar鈥攚as cleared； the present reasserted itself； plete with cares and woe。
鈥渋 think the most likely place to find my father鈥檚 body will be at 。 。 。 that place； where the queen was slain；鈥潯abriel said slowly。 鈥渢he reservoir。 where is it； by the way？鈥�
鈥渦nder the palace hill；鈥潯eplied touchstone。
鈥渢here are several different ways to enter。 all lie beyond this aqueduct…guarded valley。鈥�
鈥測ou are probably right about your father；鈥�
mogget mented from his nest of blankets in the middle of touchstone鈥檚 bed。 鈥渂ut that is also the most dangerous place for us to go。
charter magic will be greatly warped； including various bindings鈥攁nd there is a chance that our enemy 。 。 。鈥�
鈥渒errigor；鈥潯nterrupted sabriel。 鈥渂ut he may not be there。 even if he is； we may be able to sneak in鈥斺��
鈥渨e might be able to sneak around the edges；鈥�
said touchstone。 鈥渢he reservoir is enormous； and there are hundreds of columns。 but wading is noisy； and the water is very still鈥攕ound carries。
and the six 。 。 。 you know 。 。 。 they are in the very center。鈥�
鈥渋f i can find my father and bring his spirit back to his body；鈥潯abriel said stubbornly； 鈥渢hen we can deal with whatever confronts us。 that is the first thing。 my father。 everything else is just a plication that鈥檚 followed on。鈥�
鈥渙r preceded it；鈥潯aid mogget。 鈥渟o； i take it your master plan is to sneak in； as far as we can； find your father鈥檚 body； which will hopefully be tucked away in some safe corner； and then see what happens？鈥�
鈥渨e鈥檒l go in the middle of a clear； sunny day 。 。 。鈥潯abriel began。
鈥渋t鈥檚 underground；鈥潯nterrupted mogget。
鈥渟o we have sunlight to retreat to；鈥潯abriel continued in a quelling tone。
鈥渁nd there are light shafts；鈥潯dded touchstone。
鈥渁t noon； it鈥檚 a sort of dim twilight down there； with patches of faint sun on the water。鈥�
鈥渟o； we鈥檒l find father鈥檚 body； bring it back to safety here；鈥潯aid sabriel； 鈥渁nd 。 。 。 and take things from there。鈥�
鈥渋t sounds like a terribly brilliant plan to me；鈥�
muttered mogget。 鈥渢he genius of simplicity 。 。 。鈥�
鈥樷�榗an you think of anything else？鈥潯napped sabriel。 鈥渋鈥檝e tried； and i can鈥檛。 i wish i could go home to ancelstierre and forget the whole thing鈥攂ut then i鈥檇 never see father again； and the dead would just eat up everything living in this whole rotten kingdom。 maybe it won鈥檛 work； but at least i鈥檒l be trying something； like the abhorsen i鈥檓 supposed to be and you鈥檙e always telling me i鈥檓 not！鈥�
silence greeted this sally。 touchstone looked away； embarrassed。 mogget looked at her； yawned and shrugged。
鈥渁s it happens； i can鈥檛 think of anything else。
i鈥檝e grown stupid over the millennia鈥攅ven stupider than the abhorsens i serve。鈥�
鈥渋 think it鈥檚 as good a plan as any；鈥潯ouchstone said； unexpectedly。 he hesitated； then added； 鈥渢hough i am afraid。鈥�
鈥渟o am i；鈥潯hispered sabriel。 鈥渂ut if it鈥檚 a sunny day tomorrow； we will go there。鈥�
鈥測es；鈥潯aid touchstone。 鈥渂efore we grow too afraid。鈥�
w锛贰。xia oshuotx锛础ｏ迹om
chapter xx
leaving the safe； aqueductbounded quarter of belisaere proved to be a more difficult business than entering it； particularly through the northern archway； which led out to a long…abandoned street of derelict houses； winding their way up towards the northern hills of the city。
there were six guards at the archway； and they looked considerably more alert and efficient than the ones who guarded the passage from the docks。 there was also a group of other pe