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step； till the first pains subsided to a dull ache。 it was much worse than the lesser stones； broken at cloven crest and nestowe。
鈥渨hat is it？鈥潯hispered touchstone。
鈥渁h 。 。 。 the broken stones；鈥潯abriel muttered。
she took a deep breath； willing the pain and disfort away。 鈥渋 can stand it。 be careful when you get in。鈥�
she drew her sword； and took her candle back from touchstone； who prepared to enter the water。 even forewarned； she saw him flinch as his feet touched the bottom； and sweat broke out in lines on his forehead； mirroring the ripples that spread from his entry。
sabriel expected mogget to jump up on her shoulder； given his apparent dislike for touchstone； but he surprised her； leaping to the man。 touchstone was clearly startled too； but recovered well。 mogget draped himself around the back of touchstone鈥檚 neck； and mewed softly。
鈥渒eep to the edges； if you can。 the corruption鈥敗he break鈥攚ill have even more unpleasant effects near the center。鈥�
sabriel raised her sword in assent and led off； following the left wall； trying to break the surface tension of the water as little as possible。 but the quiet slosh…slosh of their wading seemed very loud； echoing and spreading up and out through the cistern； adding to the only other noise鈥攖he regular dripping of water； plopping loudly from the roof； or more sedately sliding down the columns。
she couldn鈥檛 sense any dead； but she wasn鈥檛 sure how much that was due to the broken stones。 they made her head hurt； like a constant； too…loud noise； her stomach cramped； her mouth was full of the acrid taste of bile。
they had just reached the north…western corner； directly under one of the light shafts； when the light suddenly dimmed； and the reservoir grew dark in an instant； save for the tiny； soft glow of the candles。
鈥渁 cloud；鈥潯hispered touchstone。 鈥渋t will pass。鈥�
they held their breath； looking up； up to the tiny outline of light above； and were rewarded when sunlight came pouring back down。
relieved； they began to wade again； following the long west…east wall。 but it was short…lived relief。 another cloud crossed the sun； somewhere in that fresh air so high above them； and darkness returned。 more clouds followed； till there were only brief moments of light interspersed by long stretches of total dark。
the reservoir seemed colder without the sun； even a sun diluted by passage down long shafts through the earth。 sabriel felt the cold now； acpanied by the sudden； irrational fear that they had stayed too long； and would emerge to a night full of waiting； life…hungry dead。
touchstone felt the chill too； made more bitter by his memories of two hundred years past； when he鈥檇 waded in this same water； and seen the queen and her two daughters sacrificed and the great stones broken。 there had been blood on the water then； and he still saw it鈥攁 single frozen moment of time that would not get out of his head。
despite these fears； it was the darkness that helped them。 sabriel saw a glow； a faint luminescence off to her right； somewhere towards the center。 shielding her eyes from the candle鈥檚 glare； she pointed it out to touchstone。
鈥渢here鈥檚 something there；鈥潯e agreed； his voice so low sabriel barely heard it。 鈥渂ut it鈥檚 at least forty paces towards the center。鈥�
sabriel didn鈥檛 answer。 she鈥檇 felt something from that faint light； something like the slight sensation across the back of her neck that came when her father鈥檚 sending visited her at school。
leaving the wall； she pushed out through the water； a v…line of ripples behind her。 touchstone looked again； then followed； fighting the nausea that rose in him； ing in waves like repeated doses of an emetic。 he was dizzy too； and could no longer properly feel his feet。
they went about thirty paces out； the pain and the nausea growing steadily worse。 then sabriel suddenly stopped； touchstone lifting his sword and candle； eyes searching for an attack。 but there was no enemy present。 the luminous light came from a diamond of protection； the four cardinal marks glowing under the water； lines of force sparkling between them。
in the middle of the diamond； a man…shaped figure stood； empty hands outstretched； as if he had once held weapons。 frost rimed his clothes and face； obscuring his features； and ice girdled the water around his middle。 but sabriel had no doubt about who it was。
鈥渇ather；鈥潯he whispered； the whisper echoing across the dark water； to join the faint sounds of the ever…present dripping。
w锛穡銆倄iaoshuo txt锛�
chapter xxi
锛婂皬锛忚锛紅锛漻t锛婂ぉ锛惧爞锛�
鈥渢he diamond is plete；鈥潯aid touchstone。 鈥渨e won鈥檛 be able to move him。鈥�
鈥測es。 i know；鈥潯eplied sabriel。 the relief that had soared inside her at the sight of her father was ebbing； giving way to the sickness caused by the broken stones。 鈥渋 think 。 。 。 i think i鈥檒l have to go into death from here； and fetch his spirit back。鈥�
鈥渨hat！鈥潯xclaimed touchstone。 then； quieter； as the echoes rang； 鈥渉ere？鈥�
鈥渋f we cast our own diamond of protection 。 。 。鈥�
sabriel continued； thinking aloud。 鈥渁 large one； around both of us and father鈥檚 diamond鈥攖hat will keep most danger at bay。鈥�
鈥渕ost danger；鈥潯ouchstone said grimly； looking around； trying to peer past the tight confines of their candle鈥檚 little globe of light。
鈥渋t will also trap us here鈥攅ven if we can cast it； so close to the broken stones。 i know that i couldn鈥檛 do it alone； at this point。鈥�
鈥渨e should be able to bine our strengths。
then； if you and mogget keep watch while i am in death； we should manage。鈥�
鈥渨hat do you think； mogget？鈥潯sked touchstone； turning his head； so his cheek brushed against the little animal on his shoulder。
鈥渋 have my own troubles；鈥潯rumbled mogget。
鈥渁nd i think this is probably a trap。 but since we鈥檙e here； and the鈥攁bhorsen emeritus； shall we say； does seem to be alive； i suppose there鈥檚 nothing else to be done。鈥�
鈥渋 don鈥檛 like it；鈥潯hispered touchstone。
just standing this close to the broken stones took most of his strength。 for sabriel to enter death seemed madness； tempting fate。 who knew what might be lurking in death； close by the easy portal made by the broken stones？ for that matter； who knew what was lurking in or around the reservoir？ sabriel didn鈥檛 answer。 she moved closer to her father鈥檚 diamond of protection； studying the cardinal marks under the water。 touchstone followed reluctantly； forcing his legs to move in short steps； minimizing the splash and ripple of his wake。
sabriel snuffed out her candle； thrust it through her belt； then held out her open palm。
鈥減ut your sword away and give me your hand；鈥潯he said； in a tone that did not invite conversation or argument。 touchstone hesitated鈥敗is left hand held only a candle； and he didn鈥檛 want both his swords scabbarded鈥攖hen he plied。 her hand was cold； colder than the water。 instinctively； he gripped a little tighter； to give her some of his warmth。
鈥渕ogget鈥攌eep watch；鈥潯abriel instructed。
she closed her eyes； and began to visualize the east mark； the first of the four cardinal