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she continued。 鈥渢hough i鈥檓 glad they are。鈥�
surprise crossed touchstone鈥檚 face； and confusion。
鈥渋 thought you knew；鈥潯e said。 鈥渋 took them from the queen鈥檚 ship。 they were a royal champion鈥檚 swords。 i didn鈥檛 want to take them； but mogget said you鈥斺��
he stopped in mid…sentence； as sabriel let out a heartfelt sigh。
鈥渨ell； anyway；鈥潯e continued。 鈥渓egend has it that the wallmaker made them； at the same time he鈥攐r she； i suppose鈥攎ade your sword。鈥�
鈥渕ine？鈥潯sked sabriel； her hand lightly touching the worn bronze of the guard。 she鈥檇 never thought about who鈥檇 made the sword鈥攊t just was。 鈥渋 was made for abhorsen； to slay those already dead；鈥潯he inscription said； when it said anything lucid at all。 so it probably was forged long ago； back in the distant past when the wall was made。 mogget would know； she thought。
mogget probably wouldn鈥檛； or couldn鈥檛； tell her鈥攂ut he would know。
鈥渋 suppose we鈥檇 better wake everybody up；鈥�
she said； dismissing speculation about swords for the immediate present。
鈥渁re there more dead？鈥潯sked touchstone； grunting as he pulled his swords free of the floor。
鈥渋 don鈥檛 think so；鈥潯eplied sabriel。 鈥渢hat mordaut was very clever； for it had hardly sapped the spirit of poor 。 。 。 patar 。 。 。 so its presence was masked by his life。 it would have e to the island in that box of grave dirt； having impressed the poor man with instructions before they left the mainland。 i doubt whether any others would have done the same。 i can鈥檛 sense any here； at least。 i guess i should check the other buildings； and walk around the island； just to be sure。鈥�
鈥渘ow？鈥潯sked touchstone。
鈥渘ow；鈥潯onfirmed sabriel。 鈥渂ut let鈥檚 wake everyone up first； and organize some people to carry lights for us。 we鈥檇 also better talk to the elder about a boat for the morning。鈥�
鈥渁nd a good supply of fish；鈥潯dded mogget； who鈥檇 slunk back to the half…eaten whiting； his voice sharp above the heavy drone of snoring fisher…folk。
there were no dead on the island； though the archers reported seeing strange lights moving in the village； during brief lulls in the rain。 they鈥檇 heard movement on the breakwater too； and shot fire arrows onto the stones； but saw nothing before the crude； oily rag鈥搘rapped shafts guttered out。
sabriel advanced out on the breakwater； and stood near the sea gap； her oilskin coat loosely draped over her shoulders； shedding rain to the ground and down her neck。 she couldn鈥檛 see anything through the rain and dark； but she could feel the dead。 there were more than she had sensed earlier； or they had grown much stronger。 then； with a sickening feeling； she realized that this strength belonged to a single creature； only now emerging from death； using the broken stone as a portal。 an instant later； she recognized its particular presence。
the mordicant had found her。
鈥渢ouchstone；鈥潯he asked； fighting to keep the shivers from her voice。 鈥渃an you sail a boat by night？鈥�
鈥測es；鈥潯eplied touchstone； his voice impersonal again； face dark in the rainy night； the lantern…light from the villagers behind him lighting only his back and feet。 he hesitated； as if he shouldn鈥檛 be offering an opinion； then added； 鈥渂ut it would be much more dangerous。 i don鈥檛 know this coast； and the night is very dark。鈥�
鈥渕ogget can see in the dark；鈥潯abriel said quietly； moving closer to touchstone so the villagers couldn鈥檛 hear her。
鈥渨e have to leave immediately；鈥潯he whispered； while pretending to adjust her oilskin。 鈥渁 mordicant has e。 the same one that pursued me before。鈥�
鈥渨hat about the people here？鈥潯sked touchstone； so softly the sound of the rain almost washed his words away鈥攂ut there was the faint sound of reproof under his business…like tone。
鈥渢he mordicant is after me；鈥潯uttered sabriel。 she could sense it moving away from the stone； questing about； using its otherwordly senses to find her。 鈥渋t can feel my presence； as i feel it。 when i go； it will follow。鈥�
鈥渋f we stay till morning；鈥潯ouchstone whispered back； 鈥渨on鈥檛 we be safe？ you said even a mordicant couldn鈥檛 cross this gap。鈥�
鈥渋 said； 鈥榠 think；鈥欌�潯altered sabriel。 鈥渋t has grown stronger。 i can鈥檛 be sure鈥斺��
鈥渢hat thing back in the shed； the mordaut； it wasn鈥檛 very difficult to destroy；鈥潯ouchstone whispered； the confidence of ignorance in his voice。 鈥渋s this mordicant much worse？鈥�
鈥渕uch；鈥潯eplied sabriel shortly。
the mordicant had stopped moving。 the rain seemed to be dampening both its senses and its desire to find her and slay。 sabriel stared vainly out into the darkness； trying to peer past the sheets of rain； to gain the evidence provided by sight； as well as her necromantic senses。
鈥渞iemer；鈥潯he said； loudly now； calling to the villager who was in charge of their lanternholders。
he came forward quickly； gingery hair plastered flat on his rounded head； rainwater dripping down from a high forehead to catapult itself off the end of his pudgy nose。
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 ed