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鈥渞iemer； have the archers keep very careful watch。 tell them to shoot anything that es onto the breakwater鈥攖here is nothing living out there now。 only the dead。 we need to go back and talk to your elder。鈥�
they walked back in silence； save for the sloshing of boots in puddles and the steady finger…applause of the rain。 at least half of sabriel鈥檚 attention stayed with the mordicant； a malign； stomachache…inducing presence across the dark water。 she wondered why it was waiting。
waiting for the rain to stop； or perhaps for the now…banished mordaut to attack from within。 whatever its reasons； it gave them a little time to get to a boat； and lead it away。 and perhaps； there was always the chance that it couldn鈥檛 cross the breakwater gap。
鈥渨hat time is low tide？鈥潯he asked riemer； as a new thought struck。
鈥渁h； just about an hour before dawn；鈥潯eplied the fisherman。 鈥渁bout six hours； if i鈥檓 any judge。鈥�
the elder awoke crankily from his second sleep。 he was loath for them to go in the night； though sabriel felt that at least half of his reluctance was due to their need for a boat。 the villagers only had five left。 the others had been sunk in the harbor； drowned and broken by the stones hurled down by the dead； eager to stop the escape of their living prey。
鈥渋鈥檓 sorry；鈥潯abriel said again。 鈥渂ut we must have a boat and we need it now。 there is a terrible dead creature in the village鈥攊t tracks like a hunting dog； and the trail it follows is mine。 if i stay； it will try and e here鈥攁nd； at the ebb； it may be able to cross the gap in the breakwater。
if i go； it will follow。鈥�
鈥渧ery well；鈥潯he elder agreed； mulishly。 鈥測ou have cleansed this island for us； a boat is a little thing。 riemer will prepare it with food and water。 riemer！ the abhorsen will have landalin鈥檚 boat鈥攎ake sure it is stocked and seaworthy。 take sails from jaled； if landalin鈥檚 is short or rotten。鈥�
鈥渢hank you；鈥潯aid sabriel。 tiredness weighed down on her； tiredness and the weight of awareness。
awareness of her enemies； like a darkness always clouding the edge of her vision。 鈥渨e will go now。 my good wishes stay with you； and my hopes for your safety。鈥�
鈥渕ay the charter preserve us all；鈥潯dded touchstone； bowing to the old man。 the elder bowed back； a bent； solemn figure； so much smaller than his shadow； looming tall on the wall behind。
sabriel turned to go； but a long line of villagers was forming on the way to the door。 all of them wanted to bow or curtsey before her； to mutter shy thank…yous and farewells。 sabriel accepted them with embarrassment and guilt； remembering patar。 true； she had banished the dead； but another life had been lost in the doing。 her father would not have been so clumsy 。 。 。
the second…to…last person in the line was a little girl； her black hair tied in two plaits； one on either side of her head。 seeing her made sabriel remember something touchstone had said。 she stopped； and took the girl鈥檚 hands in her own。
鈥渨hat is your name； little one？鈥潯he asked； smiling。 a feeling of d茅j脿 vu swept over her as the small fingers met hers鈥攖he memory of a frightened first…grader hesitantly reaching out to the older pupil who would be her guide for the first day at wyverley college。 sabriel had experienced both sides； in her time。
鈥渁line；鈥潯aid the girl； smiling back。 her eyes were bright and lively； too young to be dimmed by the frightened despair that clouded the adults鈥櫋aze。 a good choice； sabriel thought。
鈥渘ow； tell me what you have learned in your lessons about the great charter；鈥潯abriel said； adopting the familiar； motherly and generally irrelevant questioning tone of the school inspector who鈥檇 descended on every class in wyverley twice a year。
鈥渋 know the rhyme 。 。 。鈥潯eplied aline； a little doubtfully； her small forehead crinkling。 鈥渟hall i sing it； like we do in class？鈥�
sabriel nodded。
鈥渨e dance around the stone； too；鈥潯line added； confidingly。 she stood up straighter； put one foot forward； and took her hands away to clasp them behind her back。
five great charters knit the land together linked； hand in hand one in the people who wear the crown two in the folk who keep the dead down three and five became stone and mortar four sees all in frozen water。
鈥渢hank you； aline；鈥潯abriel said。 鈥渢hat was very nice。鈥�
she ruffled the child鈥檚 hair and hastened through the final farewells； suddenly keen to get out of the smoke and the fish…smell； out into the clean； rainy air where she could think。
鈥渟o now you know；鈥潯hispered mogget； jumping up into her arms to escape the puddles。
鈥渋 still can鈥檛 tell you； but you know one鈥檚 in your blood。鈥�
鈥渢wo；鈥潯eplied sabriel distantly。 鈥溾�榯wo in the folk who keep the dead down。鈥櫋o what is the 。 。 。 ah 。 。 。 i can鈥檛 talk about it either！鈥�
but she thought about the questions she鈥檇 like to ask； as touchstone helped her aboard the small fishing vessel that lay just off the tiny； shell…laden beach that served the island as a harbor。
one of the great charters lay in the royal blood。 the second lay in abhorsen鈥檚。 what were three and five； and four that saw all in frozen water？ she felt certain that many answers could be found in belisaere。 her father could probably answer more； for many things that were bound in life were unraveled in death。 and there was her mother…sending； for that third and final questioning in this seven years。
touchstone pushed off； clambered aboard and took the oars。 mogget leapt out of sabriel鈥檚 arms； and assumed a figurehead position near the prow； serving as a night…sighted lookout； while mocking touchstone at the same time。
back on shore； the mordicant suddenly howled； a long； piercing cry that echoed far across the water； chilling hearts on both boat and island。
鈥渂ear a bit more to starboard；鈥潯aid mogget； in the silence after the howl faded。 鈥渨e need more sea…room。鈥�
touchstone was quick to ply。
chapter xviii
灏忥伎璇磘xt澶╋伎鍫�
by the morning of the sixth day out of nestowe； sabriel was heartily tired of nautical life。 they鈥檇 sailed virtually non…stop a