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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 dead nearby。 fortunately； the other effect of the stones鈥攖he sickening illness鈥攄isappeared in death。 there was only the chill and tug of the river。
sabriel started forward immediately； carefully scanning the grey expanse before her。 things moved at the edge of her vision； she heard movement in the cold waters。 but nothing came towards her； nothing attacked； save the constant twining and gripping of the current。
she came to the first gate； halting just beyond the wall of mist that stretched out as far as she could see to either side。 the river roared beyond that mist； turbulent rapids going through to the second precinct； and on to the second gate。
remembering pages from the book of the dead； sabriel spoke words of power。 free magic； that shook her mouth as she spoke； jarring her teeth； burning her tongue with raw power。
the veil of mist parted； revealing a series of waterfalls that appeared to drop into an unending blackness。 sabriel spoke some more words； and gestured to the right and left with her sword。
a path appeared； parting the waterfall like a finger drawn through butter。 sabriel stepped out onto it； and walked down； the waters crashing harmlessly on either side。 behind her； the mist closed up and； as her rearmost heel lifted to make her next step； the path disappeared。
the second precinct was more dangerous than the first。 there were deep holes； as well as the ever…present current。 the light was worse too。
not the total darkness promised at the end of the waterfalls； but there was a different quality in its greyness。 a blurring effect； that made it difficult to see further than you could touch。
sabriel continued carefully； using her sword to probe the ground ahead。 there was an easy way through； she knew； a course mapped and plotted by many necromancers and not a few abhorsens； but she didn鈥檛 trust her memory to tread confidently ahead at speed。
always； her senses quested for her father鈥檚 spirit。 he was somewhere in death； she was positive of that。 there was always the faintest trace of him； a lingering memory。 but it was not this close to life。 she would have to go on。
the second gate was essentially an enormous hole； at least two hundred yards across； into which the river sank like sinkwater down a drain。 unlike a normal drain； it was eerily silent； and with the difficult light； easy for the unwary to walk up to its rim。 sabriel was always particularly careful with this gate鈥攕he had learned to sense the feel of its tug against her shins at an early age。 she stopped well back when the tug came； and tried to focus on the silently raging whirlpool。
a faint squelching sound behind her made her turn； sword scything around at full arm…stretch； a great circle of charter…spelled steel。 it struck dead spirit…flesh； sparks flying； a scream of rage and pain filling the silence。 sabriel almost jumped back； at that scream； but she held her ground。 the second gate was too close。
the thing she鈥檇 hit stepped back； its head hanging from a mostly severed neck。 it was humanoid in shape； at least to begin with； but had arms that trailed down below its knees； into the river。 its head； now flopping on one shoulder； was longer than it was wide or tall； possessed a mouth with several rows of teeth。 it had flaming coals in its eyepits； a characteristic of the deep dead； from beyond the fifth gate。
it snarled and brought its long； skewer…thin fingers up out of the water to try and straighten its head； attempting to rest it back atop the cleanly hewn neck。
sabriel struck again； and the head and one hand flew off； splashing into the river。 they bobbed on the surface for a moment； the head howling； eyes flaming with hate across the water。 then it was sucked down； down into the hurly…burly of the second gate。
the headless body stood where it was for a second； then started to cautiously step sideways； its remaining hand groping around in front of it。
sabriel watched it cautiously； debating whether to use saraneth to bind it to her will； and then kibeth to send it on its way to final death。 but using the bells would alert everything dead between here and the first and third gates at least鈥攁nd she didn鈥檛 want that。
the headless thing took another step； and fell sideways into a deep hole。 it scrabbled there； long arms thrashing the water； but couldn鈥檛 pull itself up and out。 it only succeeded in getting across into the full force of the current； which snatched it up and threw it into the whirlpool of the gate。
once again； sabriel recited words of free magic power； words impressed into her mind long ago from the book of the dead。 the words flowed out of her； blistering her lips； strange heat in this place of leeching cold。
with the words； the waters of the second gate slowed and stilled。 the whirling vortex separated out into a long spiral path； winding downwards。
sabriel； checking for a few last holes near the edge； gingerly strode out to this path and started down。 behind and above her； the waters began to swirl again。
the spiral path looked long； but to sabriel it seemed only a matter of minutes before she was passing through the very base of the whirlpool； and out into the third precinct。
this was a tricksome place。 the water was shallow here； only ankle…deep； and somewhat warmer。 the light was better too鈥攕till grey； but you could see farther out。 even the ubiquitous current was no more than a bit of a tickle around the feet。
but the third precinct had waves。 for the first time； sabriel broke into a run； sprinting as fast as she could towards the third gate； just visible in the distance。 it was like the first gate鈥攁 waterfall concealed in a wall of mist。
behind her； sabriel heard the thunderous crashing that announced the wave； which had been held back by the same spell that gave her passage through the whirlpool。 with the wave came shrill cries； shrieks and screams。 there were clearly many dead around； but sabriel didn鈥檛 spare them a thought。 nothing and no one could withstand the waves of the third precinct。 you simply ran as fast as possible； hoping to reach the next gate鈥攚hichever way you were going。
the thunder and crashing grew louder； and one by one the various screams and shouts were submerged in the greater sound。 sabriel didn鈥檛 look； but only ran faster。 looking over her shoulder would lose a fraction of a second； and that might be enough for the wave to reach her； pick her up and hurl her through the third gate； stunned flotsam for the current beyond 。 。 。
touchstone stared out past the southern vertice； listening。 he had heard something； he was sure； something besides the constant dripping。
something louder； something slow； attempting to be surreptitious。 he knew mogget had heard it too； from the sudden tensing of cat paws on his shoulder。
鈥渃an you see anything？鈥潯e whispered； peering out into the darkness。 the clouds were still blocking the light from the sun…shafts； though he thought the intervals of sunlight were growing longer。 but； in any case； they were too far away from the edge to benefit from a sudden return of sun。
鈥測es；鈥潯hispered mogget。 鈥渢he dead。 many of them； filing out of the main southern stair。
they鈥檙e lining up each side of the door； along the reservoir walls。鈥�
touchstone looked at sabriel； now covered in frost； like a wintering statue。 he felt like shaking her shoulder； screaming for help 。 。 。
鈥渨hat kind of dead are they？鈥潯e asked。 he didn鈥檛 know much about the dead； except that shadow hands were the worst of the normal variety； and mordicants； like the one that had followed sabriel； were the worst of them all。
except for what rogir had bee。 kerrigor； the dead adept 。 。 。
鈥渉ands；鈥潯uttered mogget。 鈥渁ll hands； and pretty putrescent ones； too。 they鈥檙e falling apart just walking。鈥�
touchstone stared again； trying by sheer force of will to see鈥攂ut there was nothing； save darkness。 he could hear them； though； wading； squelching through the still water。 too still for his liking鈥攕uddenly he wondered if the reservoir had a drainhole and a plug。 then he dismissed it as a foolish notion。 any such plug or drain cover would have long since rusted shut。
鈥渨hat are they doing？鈥潯e whispered anxiously； fingering his sword； tilting the blade this way and that。 his left hand seemed to hold the candle steady； but the little flame flickered； clear evidence of the tiny shakes that ran down his arm。
鈥渏ust lining up along the walls； in ranks；鈥�
mogget whispered back。 鈥渟trange鈥攁lmost like an honor guard 。 。 。鈥�
鈥渃harter preserve us；鈥潯ouchstone croaked； with a weight in his throat of absolute dread and terrible foreboding。 鈥渞ogir 。 。 。 kerrigor。
he must be here 。 。 。 and he鈥檚 ing 。 。 。鈥�
w w w/xiao shu otx t
chapter xxii
銆婂皬璇磘銆媥t澶╁爞
sabriel reached the third gate just ahead of the wave； gabbling a free magic spell as she ran； feeling it fume up and out of her mouth； filling her nostrils with acrid fumes。
the spell parted the mists； and sabriel stepped within； the wave breaking harmlessly around her； dumping its cargo of dead down into the waterfall beyond。 sabriel waited a moment more； for the path to appear； then passed on鈥敗n to the fourth precinct。
this was a relatively easy area to traverse。 the current was strong again； but predictable。 there were few dead； because most were stunned and rushed through by the third precinct鈥檚 wave。
sabriel walked quickly； using the strength of her will to suppress the leeching cold and the plucking hands of the current。 she could feel her father鈥檚 spirit now； close by； as if he were in one room of a large house； and she in another鈥敗racking him down by the slight sounds of habitation。
he was either here in the fourth precinct； or past the fourth gate； in the fifth precinct。
she increased her pace a little again； eager to find him； talk with him； free him。 she knew everything would be all right once father was freed 。 。 。
but he wasn鈥檛 in the fourth precinct。 sabriel reached the fourth gate without feeling any intensification of his presence。 this gate was another waterfall； of sorts； but it wasn鈥檛 cloaked in mist。 it looked like the easy drop of water from a small weir； a matter of only two or three feet down。 but sabriel knew that if you approached the edge there was more than enough force to drag the strongest spirit down。
she halted well back； and was about to launch into the spell that would conjure her path； when a niggling sensation at the back of her head made her stop and look around。
the waterfall stretched as far as she could see to either side； and sabriel knew that if she was foolish enough to try and walk its length； it would be an unending journey。 perhaps it eventually looped back on itself； but as there were no landmarks； stars or anything else to fix one鈥檚 position； you鈥檇 never know。 no one ever walked the breadth of an inner precinct or gate。
what would be the point？ everyone went into death or out of it。 not sideways； save at the border with life； where walking along altered where you came out鈥攂ut that was only useful for spirit…forms； or rare beings like the mordicant； who took their physical shape with them。
nevertheless； sabriel felt an urge to walk along next to the gate； to turn on her heel and follow the line of the waterfall。 it was an unidentifiable urge； and that made her uneasy。 there were other things in death than the dead鈥攊nexplicable beings of free magic； strange constructs and inprehensible forces。 this urge鈥攖his calling鈥敗ight e from one of them。
she hesitated； thinking about it； then pushed out into the water； heading out parallel to the waterfall。 it might be some free magic summoning； or it might be some connection with her father鈥檚 spirit。
鈥渢hey鈥檙e ing down the east and west stairs； too；鈥潯aid mogget。 鈥渕ore hands。鈥�
鈥渨hat about the south鈥攚here we came in？鈥�
asked touchstone； looking nervously from side to side； ears straining to hear every sound； listening to the dead wading out into the reservoir to form up in their strange； regimented lines。
鈥渘ot yet；鈥潯eplied mogget。 鈥渢hat stair ends in sunlight； remember？ they鈥檇 have to go through the park。鈥�
鈥渢here can鈥檛 be much sunlight；鈥潯uttered touchstone； looking at the light…shafts。 some sunshine was ing through； heavily filtered by clouds； but it wasn鈥檛 enough to cause the dead in the reservoir any distress； or lift touchstone鈥檚 spirits。
鈥渨hen 。 。 。 when do you think he will e？鈥�
asked touchstone。 mogget didn鈥檛 need to ask who 鈥渉e鈥潯as。
鈥渟oon；鈥潯eplied the cat； in a matter…of…fact tone。
鈥渋 always said it was a trap。鈥�
鈥渟o how do we get out of it？鈥潯sked touchstone； trying to keep his voice steady。 he was inwardly fighting a strong desire to leave the diamond of protection and run for the southern stair； splashing through the reservoir like a runaway horse； careless of the noise鈥攂ut there was sabriel； frosted over； immobile 。 。 。
鈥渋鈥檓 not sure we can；鈥潯aid mogget； with a sideway