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鈥渨hy are you so rude to touchstone？鈥�
mogget hissed and the fur bristled on his back。
鈥渋 am accurate； not rude；鈥潯e snapped； turning his back to them with studied scorn。 鈥渁nd he deserves it。鈥�
鈥渋鈥檓 sick of this！鈥潯nnounced sabriel。 鈥渢ouchstone； what does mogget know that i don鈥檛？鈥�
touchstone was silent； knuckles white on the tiller； eyes focused on the distant horizon； as if he could already see the towers of belisaere。
鈥測ou鈥檒l have to tell me eventually；鈥潯aid sabriel； a touch of the prefect entering her voice。
鈥渋t can鈥檛 be that bad； surely？鈥�
touchstone wet his lips； hesitated； then spoke。
鈥渋t was stupidity on my part； not evil； milady。
two hundred years ago； when the last queen reigned 。 。 。 i think 。 。 。 i know that i am partly responsible for the failing of the kingdom； the end of the royal line。鈥�
鈥渨hat！鈥潯xclaimed sabriel。 鈥渉ow could you be？鈥�
鈥渋 am；鈥潯ontinued touchstone miserably； his hands shaking so much the tiller moved； giving the boat a crazy zigzag wake。 鈥渢here was a 。 。 。
that is 。 。 。鈥�
he paused； took a deep breath； sat up a little straighter； and continued； as if reporting to a senior officer。
鈥渋 don鈥檛 know how much i can tell you； because it involves the great charters。 where do i start？ with the queen； i guess。 she had four children。 her oldest son； rogir； was a childhood playmate of mine。 he was always the leader； in all our games。 he had the ideas鈥攚e followed them。 later； when we were growing up； his ideas became stranger； less nice。 we grew apart。 i went into the guard； he pursued his own interests。 now i know that those interests must have included free magic and necromancy鈥敗 never suspected it then。 i should have； i know； but he was secretive； and often away。
鈥渢owards the end 。 。 。 i mean a few months before it happened 。 。 。 well； rogir had been away for several years。 he came back； just before the midwinter festival。 i was glad to see him； for he seemed to be more like he was as a child。 he鈥檇 lost interest in the bizarrities that had attracted him。 we spent more time together again； hawking； riding； drinking； dancing。
鈥渢hen； late one afternoon鈥攐ne cold； crisp afternoon； near sunset鈥攊 was on duty； guarding the queen and her ladies。 they were playing cranaque。 rogir came to her； and asked her to e with him down to the place where the great stones are 。 。 。 hey； i can say it！鈥�
鈥測es；鈥潯nterrupted mogget。 he looked tired； like an alley cat that has suffered one kick too many。 鈥渢he sea washes all things clear； for a time。
we can speak of the great charters； at least for a little while。 i had forgotten it was so。鈥�
鈥済o on；鈥潯aid sabriel； excitedly。 鈥渓et鈥檚 take advantage of it while we can。 the great stones would be the stones and mortar of the rhyme鈥敗he third and fifth great charter？鈥�
鈥測es；鈥潯eplied touchstone； remotely； as if reciting a lesson； 鈥渨ith the wall。 the people； or whatever they were who made the great charters； put three in bloodlines and two in physical constructions： the wall and the great stones。 all the lesser stones draw their power from one or the other。
鈥渢he great stones 。 。 。 rogir came and said there was something amiss there； something the queen must look into。 he was her son； but she did not take great account of his wisdom； or believe him when he spoke of trouble with the stones。 she was a charter mage and felt nothing wrong。 besides； she was winning at cranaque； so she told him to wait till morning。 rogir turned to me； asked me to intercede； and； charter help me； i did。 i believed rogir。 i trusted him and my belief convinced the queen。 finally； she agreed。
by that time； the sun had set。 with rogir； myself； three guards and two ladies…in…waiting； we went down； down into the reservoir where the great stones are。鈥�
touchstone鈥檚 voice faded to a whisper as he continued； and grew hoarse。
鈥渢here was terrible wrong down there； but it was rogir鈥檚 doing； not his discovery。 there are six great stones and two were just being broken； broken with the blood of his own sisters； sacrificed by his free magic minions as we approached。 i saw their last seconds； the faint hope in their clouding eyes； as the queen鈥檚 barge came floating across the water。 i felt the shock of the stones breaking and i remember rogir； stepping up behind the queen； a saw…edged dagger striking so swiftly across her throat。 he had a cup； a golden cup； one of the queen鈥檚 own； to catch the blood； but i was too slow； too slow 。 。 。鈥�
鈥渟o the story you told me at holehallow wasn鈥檛 true；鈥潯abriel whispered； as touchstone鈥檚 voice cracked and faded； and the tears rolled down his face。 鈥渢he queen didn鈥檛 survive 。 。 。鈥�
鈥渘o；鈥潯umbled touchstone。 鈥渂ut i didn鈥檛 mean to lie。 it was all jumbled up in my head。鈥�
鈥渨hat did happen？鈥�
鈥渢he other two guards were rogir鈥檚 men；鈥�
touchstone continued； his voice wet with tears； muffled with sorrow。 鈥渢hey attacked me； but vlare鈥攐ne of the ladies…in…waiting鈥攖hrew herself across them。 i went mad； battle…mad； berserk。 i killed both guards。 rogir had jumped from the barge and was wading to the stones； holding the cup。 his four sorcerers were waiting； dark…cowled； around the third stone； the next to be broken。 i couldn鈥檛 reach him in time； i knew。 i threw my sword。 it flew straight and true； taking him just above the heart。 he screamed； the echo going on and on and he turned back towards me！ transfixed by my sword； but still walking； holding that vile cup of blood up； as if offering me a drink。
鈥溾�榶ou may tear this body；鈥櫋e said； as he walked。 鈥榬ip it； like some poor…made costume。
but i cannot die。鈥櫋♀�渉e came within an arm鈥檚 length of me； and i could only look into his face； look at the evil that lay so close behind those familiar features 。 。 。
then there was blinding white light； the sound of bells鈥攂ells like yours； sabriel鈥攁nd voices； harsh voices 。 。 。 rogir flinching back； the cup dropped； blood floating on the water like oil。 i turned； saw guardsmen on the stairs； a burning； twisting column of white fire； a man with sword and bells 。 。 。 then i fainted； or was knocked unconscious。 when i came to； i was in holehallow； seeing your face。 i don鈥檛 know how i got there； who put me there 。 。 。 i still only remember in shreds and patches。鈥�
鈥測ou should have told me；鈥潯abriel said； trying to put as much passion in her voice as she could。 鈥渂ut perhaps it had to wait for the sea鈥檚 freeing of that binding spell。 tell me； the man with the sword and bells； was it the abhorsen？鈥�
鈥渋 don鈥檛 know；鈥潯eplied touchstone。 鈥減robably。鈥�
鈥渁lmost definitely； i would say；鈥潯dded sabriel。
she looked at mogget； thinking of that column of twisting fire。 鈥測ou were there too； weren鈥檛 you； mogget？ unbound； in your other form。鈥�
鈥測es； i was there；鈥潯aid the cat。 鈥渨ith the abhorsen of that time。 a very powerful charter mage； and a master of the bells； but a little too good…hearted to deal with treachery。 i had terrible trouble getting him to belisaere； and in the end； we were not timely enough to save the queen or her daug