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step； till the first pains subsided to a dull ache。 it was much worse than the lesser stones； broken at cloven crest and nestowe。
鈥渨hat is it？鈥潯hispered touchstone。
鈥渁h 。 。 。 the broken stones；鈥潯abriel muttered。
she took a deep breath； willing the pain and disfort away。 鈥渋 can stand it。 be careful when you get in。鈥�
she drew her sword； and took her candle back from touchstone； who prepared to enter the water。 even forewarned； she saw him flinch as his feet touched the bottom； and sweat broke out in lines on his forehead； mirroring the ripples that spread from his entry。
sabriel expected mogget to jump up on her shoulder； given his apparent dislike for touchstone； but he surprised her； leaping to the man。 touchstone was clearly startled too； but recovered well。 mogget draped himself around the back of touchstone鈥檚 neck； and mewed softly。
鈥渒eep to the edges； if you can。 the corruption鈥敗he break鈥攚ill have even more unpleasant effects near the center。鈥�
sabriel raised her sword in assent and led off； following the left wall； trying to break the surface tension of the water as little as possible。 but the quiet slosh…slosh of their wading seemed very loud； echoing and spreading up and out through the cistern； adding to the only other noise鈥攖he regular dripping of water； plopping loudly from the roof； or more sedately sliding down the columns。
she couldn鈥檛 sense any dead； but she wasn鈥檛 sure how much that was due to the broken stones。 they made her head hurt； like a constant； too…loud noise； her stomach cramped； her mouth was full of the acrid taste of bile。
they had just reached the north…western corner； directly under one of the light shafts； when the light suddenly dimmed； and the reservoir grew dark in an instant； save for the tiny； soft glow of the candles。
鈥渁 cloud；鈥潯hispered touchstone。 鈥渋t will pass。鈥�
they held their breath； looking up； up to the tiny outline of light above； and were rewarded when sunlight came pouring back down。
relieved； they began to wade again； following the long west…east wall。 but it was short…lived relief。 another cloud crossed the sun； somewhere in that fresh air so high above them； and darkness returned。 more clouds followed； till there were only brief moments of light interspersed by long stretches of total dark。
the reservoir seemed colder without the sun； even a sun diluted by passage down long shafts through the earth。 sabriel felt the cold now； acpanied by the sudden； irrational fear that they had stayed too long； and would emerge to a night full of waiting； life…hungry dead。
touchstone felt the chill too； made more bitter by his memories of two hundred years past； when he鈥檇 waded in this same water； and seen the queen and her two daughters sacrificed and the great stones broken。 there had been blood on the water then； and he still saw it鈥攁 single frozen moment of time that would not get out of his head。
despite these fears； it was the darkness that helped them。 sabriel saw a glow； a faint luminescence off to her right； somewhere towards the center。 shielding her eyes from the candle鈥檚 glare； she pointed it out to touchstone。
鈥渢here鈥檚 something there；鈥潯e agreed； his voice so low sabriel barely heard it。 鈥渂ut it鈥檚 at least forty paces towards the center。鈥�
sabriel didn鈥檛 answer。 she鈥檇 felt something from that faint light； something like the slight sensation across the back of her neck that came when her father鈥檚 sending visited her at school。
leaving the wall； she pushed out through the water； a v…line of ripples behind her。 touchstone looked again； then followed； fighting the nausea that rose in him； ing in waves like repeated doses of an emetic。 he was dizzy too； and could no longer properly feel his feet。
they went about thirty paces out； the pain and the nausea growing steadily worse。 then sabriel suddenly stopped； touchstone lifting his sword and candle； eyes searching for an attack。 but there was no enemy present。 the luminous light came from a diamond of protection； the four cardinal marks glowing under the water； lines of force sparkling between them。
in the middle of the diamond； a man…shaped figure stood； empty hands outstretched； as if he had once held weapons。 frost rimed his clothes and face； obscuring his features； and ice girdled the water around his middle。 but sabriel had no doubt about who it was。
鈥渇ather；鈥潯he whispered； the whisper echoing across the dark water； to join the faint sounds of the ever…present dripping。
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chapter xxi
锛婂皬锛忚锛紅锛漻t锛婂ぉ锛惧爞锛�
鈥渢he diamond is plete；鈥潯aid touchstone。 鈥渨e won鈥檛 be able to move him。鈥�
鈥測es。 i know；鈥潯eplied sabriel。 the relief that had soared inside her at the sight of her father was ebbing； giving way to the sickness caused by the broken stones。 鈥渋 think 。 。 。 i think i鈥檒l have to go into death from here； and fetch his spirit back。鈥�
鈥渨hat！鈥潯xclaimed touchstone。 then； quieter； as the echoes rang； 鈥渉ere？鈥�
鈥渋f we cast our own diamond of protection 。 。 。鈥�
sabriel continued； thinking aloud。 鈥渁 large one； around both of us and father鈥檚 diamond鈥攖hat will keep most danger at bay。鈥�
鈥渕ost danger；鈥潯ouchstone said grimly； looking around； trying to peer past the tight confines of their candle鈥檚 little globe of light。
鈥渋t will also trap us here鈥攅ven if we can cast it； so close to the broken stones。 i know that i couldn鈥檛 do it alone； at this point。鈥�
鈥渨e should be able to bine our strengths。
then； if you and mogget keep watch while i am in death； we should manage。鈥�
鈥渨hat do you think； mogget？鈥潯sked touchstone； turning his head； so his cheek brushed against the little animal on his shoulder。
鈥渋 have my own troubles；鈥潯rumbled mogget。
鈥渁nd i think this is probably a trap。 but since we鈥檙e here； and the鈥攁bhorsen emeritus； shall we say； does seem to be alive； i suppose there鈥檚 nothing else to be done。鈥�
鈥渋 don鈥檛 like it；鈥潯hispered touchstone。
just standing this close to the broken stones took most of his strength。 for sabriel to enter death seemed madness； tempting fate。 who knew what might be lurking in death； close by the easy portal made by the broken stones？ for that matter； who knew what was lurking in or around the reservoir？ sabriel didn鈥檛 answer。 she moved closer to her father鈥檚 diamond of protection； studying the cardinal marks under the water。 touchstone followed reluctantly； forcing his legs to move in short steps； minimizing the splash and ripple of his wake。
sabriel snuffed out her candle； thrust it through her belt； then held out her open palm。
鈥減ut your sword away and give me your hand；鈥潯he said； in a tone that did not invite conversation or argument。 touchstone hesitated鈥敗is left hand held only a candle； and he didn鈥檛 want both his swords scabbarded鈥攖hen he plied。 her hand was cold； colder than the water。 instinctively； he gripped a little tighter； to give her some of his warmth。
鈥渕ogget鈥攌eep watch；鈥潯abriel instructed。
she closed her eyes； and began to visualize the east mark； the first of the four cardinal wards。
touchstone took a quick look around； then closed his eyes too； drawn in by the force of sabriel鈥檚 conjuration。
pain shot through his hand and arm； as he added his will to sabriel鈥檚。 the mark seemed blurry in his head； and impossible to focus。 the pins and needles that had already plagued his feet spread up above his knees； shooting them through with rheumatic pains。 but he blocked off the pain； narrowing his consciousness to just one thing： the creation of a diamond of protection。
finally； the east mark flowed down sabriel鈥檚 blade and took root in the reservoir floor。
without opening their eyes； the duo shuffled around to face the south； and the next mark。
this was harder still； and both of them were sweating and shaking when it finally began its glowing existence。 sabriel鈥檚 hand was hot and feverish now； and touchstone鈥檚 flesh ricocheted violently between sweating heat and shivering cold。 a terrible wave of nausea hit him； and he would have been sick； but sabriel gripped his hand； like a falcon its prey； and lent him strength。 he gagged； dry…retched once； then recovered。
the west mark was simply a trial of endurance。
sabriel lost concentration for a moment； so touchstone had to hold the mark alone for a few seconds； the effort making him feel drunk in the most unpleasant way； the world spinning inside his head； totally out of control。 then sabriel forced herself back and the west mark flowered under the water。
desperation gave them the north mark。 they struggled with it for what seemed like hours； but was only seconds； till it almost squirmed from them uncast。 but at that moment； sabriel spent all the force of her desire to free her father； and touchstone pushed with the weight of two hundred years of guilt and sorrow。
the north mark rolled brightly down the sword and grew to brilliance； brilliance dulled by the water。 lines of charter…fire ran from it to the east mark； from east mark to south mark to west mark and back again。 the diamond was plete。
immediately； they felt a lessening of the terrible presence of the broken stones。 the high…pitched pain in sabriel鈥檚 head dimmed； normal feeling returned to touchstone鈥檚 legs and feet。 mogget stirred and stretched； the first significant movement he鈥檇 made since taking up position around touchstone鈥檚 neck。
鈥渁 good casting；鈥潯abriel said quietly； looking at the marks through eyes half…lidded in weariness。
鈥渂etter than the last one i cast。鈥�
鈥渋 don鈥檛 know how we did it；鈥潯uttered touchstone； staring down at the lines of charterfire。
he suddenly became aware that he was still holding sabriel鈥檚 hand； and slumping like an aged wood collector under a heavy burden。 he straightened up suddenly； dropping her hand as if it were the fanged end of a snake。
she looked at him； rather startled； and he found himself staring at the reflection of his candle…flame in her dark eyes。 almost for the first time； he really looked at her。 he saw the weariness there； and the incipient lines of care； and the way her mouth looked a little sad around the edges。 her nose was still swollen； and there were yellowing bruises on her cheekbones。
she was also beautiful and touchstone realized that he had thought of her only in terms of her office； as abhorsen。 not as a woman at all 。 。 。
鈥渋鈥檇 better be going；鈥潯aid sabriel； suddenly embarrassed by touchstone鈥檚 stare。 her left hand went to the bell…bandolier； fingers feeling for the straps that held saraneth。
鈥渓et me help；鈥潯aid touchstone。 he stood close； fumbling with the stiff leather； hands weakened by the effort spent on the diamond of protection； his head bowed over the bells。
sabriel looked down on his hair； and was strangely tempted to kiss the exact center； a tiny part marking the epicenter where his tight brown curls radiated outwards。 but she didn鈥檛。
the strap came undone； and touchstone stepped back。 sabriel drew saraneth； carefully stilling the bell。
鈥渋t probably won鈥檛 be a long wait for you；鈥潯he said。 鈥渢ime moves strangely in death。 if 。 。 。 if i鈥檓 not back in two hours； then i probably 。 。 。 i鈥檒l probably be trapped too； so you and mogget should leave 。 。 。鈥�
鈥渋鈥檒l be waiting；鈥潯eplied touchstone firmly。
鈥渨ho knows what time it is down here anyway？鈥�
鈥渁nd i鈥檒l wait； it seems；鈥潯dded mogget。
鈥渦nless i want to swim out of here。 which i don鈥檛。 may the charter be with you； sabriel。鈥�
鈥渁nd with you；鈥潯aid sabriel。 she looked around the dark expanse of the reservoir。 she still couldn鈥檛 sense any of the dead out there鈥敗nd yet 。 。 。
鈥渨e鈥檒l need it to be with us；鈥潯ogget replied sourly。 鈥渙ne way or another。鈥�
鈥渋 hope not；鈥潯hispered sabriel。 she checked the pouch at her belt for the small things she鈥檇 prepared back at the sign of three lemons； then turned to face the north mark and started to raise her sword； beginning her preparations to enter death。
suddenly； touchstone sloshed forward and quickly kissed her on the cheek鈥攁 clumsy； dry…lipped peck that almost hit the rim of her helmet rather than her cheek。
鈥渇or luck；鈥潯ouchstone said nervously。
鈥渟abriel。鈥�
she smiled； and nodded twice； then looked back to the north。 her eyes focused on something not there and waves of cold air billowed from her motionless form。 a second later； ice crystals began to crack out of her hair； and frost ran in lines down the sword and bell。
touchstone watched； close by； till it grew too cold； then he retreated to the far southern vertice of the diamond。 drawing one sword； he turned outwards； holding his candle high； and started to wade around inside the lines of charter…fire as if he were patrolling the battlements of a castle。
mogget watched too； from his shoulder； his green eyes lit with their own internal luminescence。
both of them often turned to gaze at sabriel。
the crossing into death was made easy鈥攆ar too easy鈥攂y the presence of the broken stones。
sabriel felt them near her； like two yawning gates； proclaiming easy entry to life for any de