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鈥渋鈥檓 not sure we can；鈥潯aid mogget； with a sideways glance at the two ice…rimmed statues nearby。 鈥渋t depends on sabriel and her father。鈥�
鈥渨hat can we do？鈥�
鈥渄efend ourselves if we鈥檙e attacked； i suppose；鈥�
drawled mogget； as if stating the obvious to a tiresome child。 鈥渉ope。 pray to the charter that kerrigor doesn鈥檛 e before sabriel returns。鈥�
鈥渨hat if he does？鈥潯sked touchstone； staring white…eyed out into the darkness。 鈥渨hat if he does？鈥�
but mogget was silent。 all touchstone heard was the shuffling； wading； splashing of the dead； as they slowly drew closer； like starving rats creeping up to a sleeping drunk鈥檚 dinner。
sabriel had no idea of how far she鈥檇 gone before she found him。 that same niggling sensation prompted her to stop； to look out into the waterfall itself； and there he was。 abhorsen。 father。
somehow imprisoned within the gate itself； so only his head was visible above the rush of the water。
鈥渇ather！鈥潯ried sabriel； but she resisted the urge to rush forward。 at first； she thought he was unaware of her； then a slight wink of one eye showed conscious perception。 he winked again； and moved his eyeballs to the right； several times。
sabriel followed his gaze； and saw something tall and shadowy thrust up through the waterfall； arms reaching up to pull itself out of the gate。 she stepped forward； sword and bell at the ready； then hesitated。 it was a dead humanoid； very similar in shape and size to the one who had brought the bells and sword to wyverley college。 she looked back at her father； and he winked again； the corner of his mouth curving up ever so slightly鈥攁lmost a smile。
she stepped back； still cautious。 there was always the chance that the spirit chained in the waterfall was merely the mimic of her father； or； even if it was him； that he was under the sway of some power。
the dead creature finally hauled itself out； muscles differently arranged to a human鈥檚 visibly straining along the forearms。 it stood on the rim for a moment； bulky head questing from side to side； then lumbered towards sabriel with that familiar rolling gait。 several paces away from her鈥攐ut of sword鈥檚 reach鈥攊t stopped； and pointed at its mouth。 its jaw worked up and down； but no sound issued from its red and fleshy mouth。 a black thread ran from its back； down into the rushing waters of the gate。
sabriel thought for a moment； then replaced saraneth； one…handed； and drew dyrim。 she cocked her wrist to ring the bell； hesitated鈥攆or to sound dyrim would alert the dead all around鈥攖hen let it fall。 dyrim rang； sweet and clear； several notes sounding from that one peal； mixing together like many conversations overheard in a crowd。
sabriel rang the bell again before the echoes died； in a series of slight wrist…twitches； moving the sound out towards the dead creature； weaving into the echoes of the first peal。 sound seemed to envelope the monster； circling around its head and muted mouth。
the echoes faded。 sabriel replaced dyrim quickly； before it could try and sound of its own accord； and drew ranna。 the sleeper could quell a large number of dead at once； and she feared many would e to the sound of the bells。
they would probably expect to find a foolish； half…trained necromancer； but even so； they would be dangerous。 ranna twitched in her hand； expectantly； like a child waking at her touch。
the creature鈥檚 mouth moved again； and now it had a tongue； a horrid pulpy mess of white flesh that writhed like a slug。 but it worked。 the thing made several gurgling； swallowing sounds； then it spoke with the voice of abhorsen。
鈥渟abriel！ i both hoped and feared you would e。鈥�
鈥渇ather 。 。 。鈥潯abriel began； looking at his trapped spirit rather than the creature。
鈥渇ather 。 。 。鈥�
she broke down； and started to cry。 she had e all this way； through so many troubles； only to find him trapped； trapped beyond her ability to free him。 she hadn鈥檛 even known that it was possible to imprison someone within a gate！ 鈥渟abriel！ hush； daughter！ we have no time for tears。 where is your physical body？鈥�
鈥渋n the reservoir；鈥潯niffed sabriel。 鈥渘ext to yours。 inside a diamond of protection。鈥�
鈥渁nd the dead？ kerrigor？鈥�
鈥渢here was no sign of them there； but kerrigor is somewhere in life。 i don鈥檛 know where。鈥�
鈥測es； i knew he had emerged；鈥潯uttered abhorsen； via the thing鈥檚 mouth。 鈥渉e will be near the reservoir； i fear。 we must move quickly。
sabriel； do you remember how to ring two bells simultaneously？ mosrael and kibeth？鈥�
鈥渢wo bells？鈥潯sked sabriel； puzzled。 waker and walker？ at the same time？ she had never even heard it was possible鈥攐r had she？ 鈥渢hink；鈥潯aid abhorsen鈥檚 mouthpiece。 鈥渞emember。
the book of the dead。鈥�
slowly； it came back； pages floating down into conscious memory； like leaves from a shaken tree。 the bells could be rung in pairs； or even greater binations； if enough necromancers were gathered to wield the bells。 but the risks were much greater 。 。 。
鈥測es；鈥潯aid sabriel； slowly。 鈥渋 remember。
mosrael and kibeth。 will they free you？鈥�
the answer was slow in ing。
鈥測es。 for a time。 enough； i hope； to do what must be done。 quickly； now。鈥�
sabriel nodded； trying not to think about what he had just said。 subconsciously； she had always been aware that abhorsen鈥檚 spirit had been too long from his body； and too deep in the realm of death。 he could never truly live again。
consciously； she chose to barricade this knowledge from her mind。
she sheathed her sword； replaced ranna； and drew mosrael and kibeth。 dangerous bells； both； and more so in bination than alone。
she stilled her mind； emptying herself of all thought and emotion； concentrating solely on the bells。 then； she rang them。
mosrael she swung in a three…quarter circle above her head； kibeth she swung in a reverse figure eight。 harsh alarm joined with dancing jig； merging into a discordant； grating； but energetic tone。 sabriel found herself walking towards the waterfall； despite all her efforts to keep still。 a force like the grip of a demented giant moved her legs； bent her knees； made her step forward。
at the same time； her father was emerging from the waterfall of the fourth gate。 his head was freed first； and he flexed his neck； then rolled his shoulders； raised his arms over his head and stretched。 but still sabriel stepped on； till she was only two paces from the rim； and could look down into the swirling waters； the sound of the bells filling her ears； forcing her onwards。
then abhorsen was free； and he leapt forward； thrusting his hands into the bell…mouths； gripping the clappers with his pallid hands； making them suddenly quiet。 there was silence； and father and daughter embraced on the very brink of the fourth gate。
鈥渨ell done；鈥潯aid abhorsen； his voice deep and familiar； lending fort and warmth like a favorite childhood toy。 鈥渙nce trapped； it was all i could do to send the bells and sword。 now i am afraid we must hurry； back to life； before kerrigor can plete his plan。 give me saraneth； for now 。 。 。 no； you keep the sword； and ranna； i think。 e on！鈥�
he led the way back； walking swiftly。 sabriel followed at his heels； questions bursting up in her。 she kept looking at him； looking at the familiar features； the way his hair was ragged at the back； the silver stubble just showing on his chin and sideburns。 he wore the same sort of clothes as she did； plete with the surcoat of silver keys。 he wasn鈥檛 quite as tall as she remembered。
鈥渇ather！鈥潯he exclaimed； trying to talk； keep up with him and keep watch； all at the same time。 鈥渨hat is happening？ what is kerrigor鈥檚 plan？ i don鈥檛 understand。 why wasn鈥檛 i brought up here； so i would know things？鈥�
鈥渉ere？鈥潯sked abhorsen； without slowing。
鈥渋n death？鈥�
鈥測ou know what i mean；鈥潯rotested sabriel。
鈥渢he old kingdom！ why did 。 。 。 i mean； i must be the only abhorsen ever who doesn鈥檛 have a clue about how everything works！ why！ why？鈥�
鈥渢here鈥檚 no simple answer；鈥潯eplied abhorsen； over his shoulder。 鈥渂ut i sent you to ancelstierre for two main reasons。 one was to keep you safe。 i had already lost your mother； and the only way to keep you safe in the old kingdom was to keep you either with me or always at our house鈥攑ractically a prisoner。 i couldn鈥檛 keep you with me； because things were getting worse and worse since the death of the regent； two years before you were born。 the second reason was because the clayr advised me to do so。
they said we needed someone鈥攐r will need someone鈥攖hey鈥檙e not good with time鈥攚ho knows ancelstierre。 i didn鈥檛 know why then； but i suspect i do now。鈥�
鈥渨hy？鈥潯sked sabriel。
鈥渒errigor鈥檚 body；鈥潯eplied abhorsen。 鈥渙r rogir鈥檚； to give him his original name。 he could never be made truly dead because his body is preserved by free magic； somewhere in life。 it鈥檚 like an anchor that always brings him back。 every abhorsen since the breaking of the great stones has been looking for that body鈥攂ut none of us ever found it； including me； because we never suspected it is in ancelstierre。 obviously； somewhere close to the wall。 the clayr will have located it by now； because kerrigor must have gone to it when he emerged into life。 right； do you want to do the spell； or shall i？鈥�
they had reached the third gate。 he didn鈥檛 wait for her answer； but immediately spoke the words。 sabriel felt strange hearing them； rather than speaking them鈥攃uriously distant； like a far…off observer。
steps rose before them； cutting through the waterfall and the mist。 abhorsen took them two at a time； showing surprising energy。 sabriel followed as best she could。 she felt tiredness in her bones now； a weariness beyond exhausted muscles。
鈥渞eady to run？鈥潯sked abhorsen。 he took her elbow as they left the steps and went into the parted mists； a curiously formal gesture that reminded her of when she was a little girl； demanding to be properly escorted when they took a picnic basket out on one of her father鈥檚 corporeal school visitations。
they ran before the wave； with hands inside the bells； faster and faster； till sabriel thought her legs would seize up and she鈥檇 tumble head over heels； around and around and around； finally clattering to a halt in a tangle of sword and bells。
but she made it somehow； abhorsen chanting the spell that would open the base of the second gate； so they could ascend through the whirlpool。
鈥渁s i was saying；鈥潯bhorsen continued； taking these steps two at a time as well； speaking as swiftly as he climbed。 鈥渒errigor could never be properly dealt with till an abhorsen found the body。 all of us pushed him back at various times； as far back as the seventh gate； but that was merely postponing the problem。 he grew stronger all the time； as lesser charter stones were broken； and the kingdom deteriorated鈥敗nd we grew weaker。鈥�
鈥渨ho鈥檚 we？鈥潯sked sabriel。 all this information was ing too quickly； particularly when given at the run。
鈥渢he great charter bloodlines；鈥潯eplied abhorsen。 鈥渨hich to all intents and purposes means abhorsens and the clayr； since the royal line is all but extinct。 and there is； of course； the relict of the wallmakers； a sort of construct left over after they put their powers in the wall and the great stones。鈥�
he left the rim of the whirlpool； and strode confidently out into the second precinct； sabriel close at his heels。 unlike her earlier halting； probing advance； abhorsen practically jogged along； obviously following a familiar route。
how he could tell； without landmarks or any obvious signs； sabriel had no idea。 perhaps； when she had spent thirty…odd years traversing death； she would find it as easy。
鈥渟o；鈥潯ontinued abhorsen。 鈥渨e finally have the chance to finish kerrigor once and for all。
the clayr will direct you to his body； you will destroy it； and then banish kerrigor鈥檚 spirit form鈥攚hich will be severely weakened。 after that； you can get the surviving royal prince out of his suspended state； and with the aid of the wallmaker relict； repair the great charter stones 。 。 。鈥�
鈥渢he surviving royal prince；鈥潯sked sabriel； with a feeling of unlooked…for knowledge rising in her。 鈥渉e wasn鈥檛 。 。 。 ah 。 。 。 suspended as a figurehead in holehallow； was he 。 。 。 and his spirit in death？鈥�
鈥渁 bastard son； actually； and possibly crazy；鈥�
abhorsen said； without really listening。 鈥渂ut he has the blood。 what？ oh； yes； yes he is 。 。 。 you said was 。 。 。 you mean鈥斺��
鈥測es；鈥潯aid sabriel； unhappily。 鈥渉e calls himself touchstone。 and he鈥檚 waiting in the reservoir。
near the stones。 with mogget。鈥�
abhorsen paused for the first time； clearly taken aback。
鈥渁ll our plans go astray； it seems；鈥潯e said somberly； sighing。 鈥渒errigor lured me to the reservoir to use my blood to break a great stone； but i managed to protect myself； so he contented himself with trapping me in death。
he thought you would be lured to my body； and he could use your blood鈥攂ut i was not trapped as securely as he thought； and planned a reverse。
but now； if the prince is there； he has another source of blood to break the great charter鈥斺��
鈥