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touchstone stayed at the opposite end of the ship； near the bow； performing a series of fencing exercises with his twin swords； and some stretches and minor acrobatics。 mogget watched him from the undergrowth； green eyes glittering； as if intent on a mouse。
lunch was a culinary and conversational failure。
dried beef strips； garnished with watercress from the fringes of the spring； and monosyllabic responses from touchstone。 he even went back to 鈥渕ilady；鈥潯espite sabriel鈥檚 repeated requests to use her name。 mogget didn鈥檛 help by calling her abhorsen。 after lunch； everyone went back to their respective activities。 sabriel to her book； touchstone to his exercises and mogget to his watching。
dinner was not something anyone had looked forward to。 sabriel tried talking to mogget； but he seemed to be infected with touchstone鈥檚 reticence； though not with his servility。 as soon as they鈥檇 eaten； everyone left the raked…together coals of the campfire鈥攖ouchstone to the west； mogget north and sabriel east鈥攁nd went to sleep on as fortable a stretch of ground as could be discovered。
sabriel woke once in the night。 without getting up； she saw that the fire had been rekindled and touchstone sat beside it； staring into the flames； his eyes reflecting the capering； gold…red light。 his face looked drawn； almost ill。
鈥渁re you all right？鈥潯abriel asked quietly； propping herself up on one elbow。
touchstone started； rocked back on his heels； and almost fell over。 for once； he didn鈥檛 sound like a sulky servant。
鈥渘ot really。 i remember what i would not； and forget what i should not。 forgive me。鈥�
sabriel didn鈥檛 answer。 he had spoken the last two words to the fire； not to her。
鈥減lease； go back to sleep； milady；鈥潯ouchstone continued； slipping back to his servile role。 鈥渋 will wake you in the morning。鈥�
sabriel opened her mouth to say something scathing about the arrogance of pretended humility； then shut it； and subsided back under her blanket。 just concentrate on rescuing father； she told herself。 that is the one important thing。
rescue abhorsen。 don鈥檛 worry about touchstone鈥檚 problems； or mogget鈥檚 curious nature。
rescue abhorsen。 rescue abhorsen。 rescue abhors 。 。 。 rescue 。 。 。
鈥渨ake up！鈥潯ogget said； right in her ear。 she rolled over； ignoring him； but he leapt across her head and repeated it in her other ear。 鈥渨ake up！鈥�
鈥渋鈥檓 awake；鈥潯rumbled sabriel。 she sat up with the blanket wrapped around her； feeling the pre…dawn chill on her face and hands。 it was still extremely dark； save for the uneven light of the fire and the faintest brushings of dawn light above the sinkhole。 touchstone was already making the porridge。 he鈥檇 also washed； and shaved鈥攗sing a dagger from the look of the nicks and cuts on his chin and neck。
鈥済ood morning；鈥潯e said。 鈥渢his will be ready in five minutes； milady。鈥�
sabriel groaned at that word again。 feeling like a shambling； blanket…shrouded excuse for a human being； she picked up her shirt and trousers and staggered off to find a suitable bush en route to the spring。
the icy water of the spring pleted the waking up process without kindness； sabriel exposing herself to it and the marginally warmer air for no more than the ten seconds it took to shed undershirt； wash and get dressed again。
clean； awake and clothed； she returned to the campfire and ate her share of the porridge。 then touchstone ate； while sabriel buckled on armor； sword and bells。 mogget lay near the fire； warming his white…furred belly。 not for the first time； sabriel wondered if he needed to eat at all。 he obviously liked food； but he seemed to eat for amusement； rather than sustenance。
touchstone continued being a servant after breakfast； cleaning pot and spoon； quenching the fire and putting everything away。 but when he was about to swing the pack on his back； sabriel stopped him。
鈥渘o； touchstone。 it鈥檚 my pack。 i鈥檒l carry it； thank you。鈥�
he hesitated； then passed it to her and would have helped her put it on； but she had her arms through the straps and the pack swung on before he could take the weight。
half an hour later； perhaps a third of the way up the narrow； stone…carved stair； sabriel regretted her decision to take the pack。 she still wasn鈥檛 totally recovered from the paperwing crash and the stair was very steep； and so narrow that she had difficulty negotiating the spiraling turns。 the pack always seemed to jam against the outside or inside wall； no matter which way she turned。
鈥減erhaps we should take it in turns to carry the pack；鈥潯he said reluctantly； when they stopped at a sort of alcove to catch their breath。
touchstone； who had been leading； nodded and came back down a few steps to take the pack。
鈥渋鈥檒l lead； then；鈥潯abriel added； flexing her back and shoulders； shuddering slightly at the packinduced layer of sweat on her back； greasy under armor； tunic； shirt and undershirt。 she picked up her candle from the bench and stepped up。
鈥渘o；鈥潯aid touchstone； stepping in her way。
鈥渢here are guards鈥攁nd guardians鈥攐n this stair。 i know the words and signs to pass them。
you are the abhorsen； so they might let you past； but i am not sure。鈥�
鈥測our memory must be ing back；鈥潯abriel mented； slightly peeved at being thwarted。
鈥渢ell me； is this stair the one you mentioned when you said the queen was ambushed？鈥�
鈥渘o；鈥潯ouchstone replied flatly。 he hesitated； then added； 鈥渢hat stair was in belisaere。鈥�
with that； he turned； and continued up the stairs。 sabriel followed； mogget at her heels。 now that she wasn鈥檛 lumbered by her pack； she felt more alert。 watching touchstone； she saw him pause occasionally and mutter some words under his breath。 each time； there was the faint； featherlight touch of charter magic。 subtle magic； much cleverer than in the tunnel below。 harder to detect and probably much more deadly； sabriel thought。
now she knew it was there； she also picked up the faint sensation of death。 this stair had seen killings； a long； long； time ago。
finally； they came to a large chamber； with a set of double doors to one side。 light leaked in f