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his liking鈥攕uddenly he wondered if the reservoir had a drainhole and a plug。 then he dismissed it as a foolish notion。 any such plug or drain cover would have long since rusted shut。
鈥渨hat are they doing？鈥潯e whispered anxiously； fingering his sword； tilting the blade this way and that。 his left hand seemed to hold the candle steady； but the little flame flickered； clear evidence of the tiny shakes that ran down his arm。
鈥渏ust lining up along the walls； in ranks；鈥�
mogget whispered back。 鈥渟trange鈥攁lmost like an honor guard 。 。 。鈥�
鈥渃harter preserve us；鈥潯ouchstone croaked； with a weight in his throat of absolute dread and terrible foreboding。 鈥渞ogir 。 。 。 kerrigor。
he must be here 。 。 。 and he鈥檚 ing 。 。 。鈥�
w w w/xiao shu otx t
chapter xxii
銆婂皬璇磘銆媥t澶╁爞
sabriel reached the third gate just ahead of the wave； gabbling a free magic spell as she ran； feeling it fume up and out of her mouth； filling her nostrils with acrid fumes。
the spell parted the mists； and sabriel stepped within； the wave breaking harmlessly around her； dumping its cargo of dead down into the waterfall beyond。 sabriel waited a moment more； for the path to appear； then passed on鈥敗n to the fourth precinct。
this was a relatively easy area to traverse。 the current was strong again； but predictable。 there were few dead； because most were stunned and rushed through by the third precinct鈥檚 wave。
sabriel walked quickly； using the strength of her will to suppress the leeching cold and the plucking hands of the current。 she could feel her father鈥檚 spirit now； close by； as if he were in one room of a large house； and she in another鈥敗racking him down by the slight sounds of habitation。
he was either here in the fourth precinct； or past the fourth gate； in the fifth precinct。
she increased her pace a little again； eager to find him； talk with him； free him。 she knew everything would be all right once father was freed 。 。 。
but he wasn鈥檛 in the fourth precinct。 sabriel reached the fourth gate without feeling any intensification of his presence。 this gate was another waterfall； of sorts； but it wasn鈥檛 cloaked in mist。 it looked like the easy drop of water from a small weir； a matter of only two or three feet down。 but sabriel knew that if you approached the edge there was more than enough force to drag the strongest spirit down。
she halted well back； and was about to launch into the spell that would conjure her path； when a niggling sensation at the back of her head made her stop and look around。
the waterfall stretched as far as she could see to either side； and sabriel knew that if she was foolish enough to try and walk its length； it would be an unending journey。 perhaps it eventually looped back on itself； but as there were no landmarks； stars or anything else to fix one鈥檚 position； you鈥檇 never know。 no one ever walked the breadth of an inner precinct or gate。
what would be the point？ everyone went into death or out of it。 not sideways； save at the border with life； where walking along altered where you came out鈥攂ut that was only useful for spirit…forms； or rare beings like the mordicant； who took their physical shape with them。
nevertheless； sabriel felt an urge to walk along next to the gate； to turn on her heel and follow the line of the waterfall。 it was an unidentifiable urge； and that made her uneasy。 there were other things in death than the dead鈥攊nexplicable beings of free magic； strange constructs and inprehensible forces。 this urge鈥攖his calling鈥敗ight e from one of them。
she hesitated； thinking about it； then pushed out into the water； heading out parallel to the waterfall。 it might be some free magic summoning； or it might be some connection with her father鈥檚 spirit。
鈥渢hey鈥檙e ing down the east and west stairs； too；鈥潯aid mogget。 鈥渕ore hands。鈥�
鈥渨hat about the south鈥攚here we came in？鈥�
asked touchstone； looking nervously from side to side； ears straining to hear every sound； listening to the dead wading out into the reservoir to form up in their strange； regimented lines。
鈥渘ot yet；鈥潯eplied mogget。 鈥渢hat stair ends in sunlight； remember？ they鈥檇 have to go through the park。鈥�
鈥渢here can鈥檛 be much sunlight；鈥潯uttered touchstone； looking at the light…shafts。 some sunshine was ing through； heavily filtered by clouds； but it wasn鈥檛 enough to cause the dead in the reservoir any distress； or lift touchstone鈥檚 spirits。
鈥渨hen 。 。 。 when do you think he will e？鈥�
asked touchstone。 mogget didn鈥檛 need to ask who 鈥渉e鈥潯as。
鈥渟oon；鈥潯eplied the cat； in a matter…of…fact tone。
鈥渋 always said it was a trap。鈥�
鈥渟o how do we get out of it？鈥潯sked touchstone； trying to keep his voice steady。 he was inwardly fighting a strong desire to leave the diamond of protection and run for the southern stair； splashing through the reservoir like a runaway horse； careless of the noise鈥攂ut there was sabriel； frosted over； immobile 。 。 。
鈥渋鈥檓 not sure we can；鈥潯aid mogget； with a sideways glance at the two ice…rimmed statues nearby。 鈥渋t depends on sabriel and her father。鈥�
鈥渨hat can we do？鈥�
鈥渄efend ourselves if we鈥檙e attacked； i suppose；鈥�
drawled mogget； as if stating the obvious to a tiresome child。 鈥渉ope。 pray to the charter that kerrigor doesn鈥檛 e before sabriel returns。鈥�
鈥渨hat if he does？鈥潯sked touchstone； staring white…eyed out into the darkness。 鈥渨hat if he does？鈥�
but mogget was silent。 all touchstone heard was the shuffling； wading； splashing of the dead； as they slowly drew closer； like starving rats creeping up to a sleeping drunk鈥檚 dinner。
sabriel had no idea of how far she鈥檇 gone before she found him。 that same niggling sensation prompted her to stop； to look out into the waterfall itself； and there he was。 abhorsen。 father。
somehow imprisoned within the gate itself； so only his head was visible above the rush of the water。
鈥渇ather！鈥潯ried sabriel； but she resisted the urge to rush forward。 at first； she thought he was unaware of her； then a slight wink of one eye showed conscious perception。 he winked again； and moved his eyeballs to the right； several times。
sabriel followed his gaze； and saw something tall and shadowy thrust up through the waterfall； arms reaching up to pull itself out of the gate。 she stepped forward； sword and bell at the ready； then hesitated。 it was a dead humanoid； very similar in shape and size to the one who had brought the bells and sword to wyverley college。 she looked back at her father； and he winked again； the corner of his mouth curving up ever so slightly鈥攁lmost a smile。
she stepped back； still cautious。 there was always the chance that the spirit chained in the waterfall was merely the mimic of her father； or； even if it was him； that he was under the sway of some power。
the dead creature finally hauled itself out； muscles differently arranged to a human鈥檚 visibly straining along the forearms。 it stood on the rim for a moment； bulky head questing from side to side； then lumbered towards sabriel with that familiar rolling gait。 several paces away from her鈥攐ut of sword