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as mogget had promised； the tunnel wasn鈥檛 long； and its well…made steps and cross…hatched floor made passage easy； save for the part where sabriel had to follow the little cat exactly across the stones； to avoid a cleverly concealed pit。
without mogget鈥檚 guidance； sabriel knew she would have fallen in。
there were magical wardings too。 old； inimical spells lay like moths in the corners of the tunnel； waiting to fly up at her； to surround and choke her with power鈥攂ut something checked their first reaction and they settled again。 a few times； sabriel experienced a ghostly touch； like a hand reaching out to brush the charter mark on her forehead； and almost at the end of the tunnel； she saw two guard sendings melting into the rock； the tips of their halberds glinting in her candlelight before they； too； merged into stone。
鈥渨here are we going？鈥潯he whispered； nervously； as the door in front of them slowly creaked open鈥攚ithout visible means of propulsion。
鈥渁nother sinkhole；鈥潯ogget said； matter…offactly。
鈥渋t is where the first blood 。 。 。 ach 。 。 。鈥�
he choked； hissed； and then rephrased his sentence rather drably； with 鈥渋t is interesting。鈥�
鈥渨hat do you mean鈥斺�潯abriel began； but she fell silent as they passed the doorway； magical force suddenly tugging at her hair； her hands； her surcoat； the hilt of her sword。 mogget鈥檚 fur stood on end； and his collar rotated halfway around of its own accord； till the charter marks of binding were uppermost and clearly readable； bright against the leather。
then they were out； standing at the bottom of another sinkhole； in a premature twilight； for the sun was already slipping over the circumscribed horizon of the sinkhole rim。
this sinkhole was much wider than the first鈥敗erhaps a mile across； and deeper； say six or seven hundred feet。 despite its size； the entire vast pit was sealed off from the upper air by a gleaming； web…thin net； which seemed to merge into the rim wall about a quarter of the way down from the surface。 sunlight had given it away； but even so； sabriel had to use her telescope to see the delicate diamond…pattern weave clearly。 it looked flimsy； but the presence of several dessicated bird…corpses indicated considerable strength。 sabriel guessed the unfortunate birds had dived into the net； eyes greedily intent on food below。
in the sinkhole itself； there was considerable； if uninspiring vegetation鈥攎ostly stunted trees and malformed bushes。 but sabriel had little attention to spare for the trees； for in between each of these straggling patches of greenery； there were paved areas鈥攁nd on each of these paved areas rested a ship。
fourteen open…decked； single…masted longboats； their black sails set to catch a nonexistent wind； oars out to battle an imaginary tide。 they flew many flags and standards； all limp against mast and rigging； but sabriel didn鈥檛 need to see them unfurled to know what strange cargo these ships might bear。 she鈥檇 heard of this place； as had every child in the northern parts of ancelstierre； close to the old kingdom。 hundreds of tales of treasure； adventure and romance were woven around this strange harbor。
鈥渇unerary ships；鈥潯aid sabriel。 鈥渞oyal ships。鈥�
she had further confirmation that this was so； for there were binding spells woven into the very dirt her feet scuffed at the tunnel entrance； spells of final death that could only have been laid by an abhorsen。 no necromancer would ever raise any of the ancient rulers of the old kingdom。
鈥渢he famous burial ground of the first 。 。 。
ckkk 。 。 。 the kings and queens of the old kingdom；鈥潯ronounced mogget； after some difficulty。
he danced around sabriel鈥檚 feet； then stood on his hind legs and made expansive gestures； like a circus impresario in white fur。
finally； he shot off into the trees。
鈥渆 on鈥攖here鈥檚 a spring； spring； spring！鈥潯e caroled； as he leaped up and down in time with his words。
sabriel followed at a slower pace； shaking her head and wondering what had happened to make mogget so cheerful。 she felt bruised； tired and depressed； shaken by the free magic monster； and sad about the paperwing。
they passed close by two of the ships on their way to the spring。 mogget led her a merry dance around both of them； in a mad circumnavigation of twists； leaps and bounds； but the sides were too high to look in and she didn鈥檛 feel like shinning up an oar。 she did pause to look at the figureheads鈥敗mposing men； one in his forties； the other somewhat older。 both were bearded； had the same imperious eyes； and wore armor similar to sabriel鈥檚； heavily festooned with medallions； chains and other decorations。 each held a sword in his right hand； and an unfurling scroll that turned back on itself in their left鈥攖he heraldic representation of the charter。
the third ship was different。 it seemed shorter and less ornate； with a bare mast devoid of black sails。 no oars sprang from its sides； and as sabriel reached the spring that lay under its stern； she saw uncaulked seams between the planking； and realized that it was inplete。
curious； she dropped her pack by the little pool of bubbling water and walked around to the bow。
this was different too； for the figurehead was a young man鈥攁 naked young man； carved in perfect detail。
sabriel blushed a little； for it was an exact likeness； as if a young man had been transformed from flesh to wood； and her only prior experience of naked men was in clinical cross…sections from biology textbooks。 his muscles were lean and well…formed； his hair short and tightly curled against his head。 his hands； well…shaped and elegant； were partly raised； as if to ward off some evil。
the detail even extended to a circumcised penis； which sabriel glanced at in an embarrassed way； before looking back at his face。 he was not exactly handsome； but not displeasing。
it was a responsible visage； with the shocked expression of someone who has been betrayed and only just realized it。 there was fear there； too； and something like hatred。 he looked more than a little mad。 his expression troubled her； for it seemed too human to be the result of a woodcarver鈥檚 skill； no matter how talented。
鈥渢oo life…like；鈥潯abriel muttered； stepping back from the figurehead； hand falling to the hilt of her sword； her magical senses reaching out； seeking some trap or deception。
there was no trap； but sabriel did feel something in or around the figurehead。 a feeling similar to that of a dead revenant； but not the same鈥敗 niggling sensation that she couldn鈥檛 place。
sabriel tried to identify it； while she looked over the figurehead again； carefully examining him from every angle。 the man鈥檚 body was an intellectual problem now； so she looked without embarrassment； studying his fingers； fingernails and skin； noting how perfectly they were carved； right down to the tiny scars on his hands； the product of sword and dagger practice。 there was also the faint sign of a baptismal charter mark on his forehead； and the pale trace of veins on his eyelids。
that inspection led her to certainty about what she鈥檇 detected； but she hesitated about the action that should be taken； and went in search of mogget。 not that she put a lot of faith in advice or answers from that quarter； given his present propensity towards behaving as a fairly silly cat鈥攖hough perhaps this was a reaction to his brief experience of being a free magic beast again； something that might not have happened for a millennium。 the cat form was probably a wele relief。
in fact； no advice at all could be had from mogget。 sabriel found him asleep in a field of flowers near the spring； his tail and paddy…paws twitching to a dream of dancing mice。 sabriel looked at the straw…yellow flowers； sniffed one； scratched mogget behind the ears； then went back to the figurehead。 the flowers were catbalm； explaining both mogget鈥檚 previous mood and his current somnolence。 she would have to make up her own mind。
鈥渟o；鈥潯he said； addressing the figurehead like a lawyer before a court。 鈥測ou are the victim of some free magic spell and necromantic trickery。
your spirit lies neither in life nor death； but somewhere in between。 i could cross into death； and find you near the border； i鈥檓 sure鈥攂ut i could find a lot of trouble as well。 trouble i can鈥檛 deal with in my current pathetic state。 so what can i do？ what would father鈥攁bhorsen 。 。 。 or any abhorsen鈥攄o in my place？鈥�
she thought about it for a while； pacing backwards and forwards； bruises temporarily forgotten。
that last question seemed to make her duty clear。 sabriel felt sure her father would free the man。 that鈥檚 what he did； that was what he lived for。 the duty of an abhorsen was to remedy unnatural necromancy and free magic sorcery。
she didn鈥檛 think further than that； perhaps due to the injudicious sniffing of the catbalm。 she didn鈥檛 even consider that her father would probably have waited until he was fitter鈥攑erhaps till the next day。 after all； this young man must have been incarcerated for many years； his physical body transformed into wood； and his spirit somehow trapped in death。 a few days would make no difference to him。 an abhorsen didn鈥檛