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of his heart。 only now； she heard the beats as grains in a time… piece； counting his hard…won hundred hundreds； counting till it was time for him to die。
she hugged him tightly； her arms meeting around his back； his arms outstretched like a cross； sword in one hand； bell in the other。 then； she let go。
they turned together； and plunged out into life。
kerrigor laughed again； an obscene cackle that rose to a manic crescendo； before suddenly cutting to an ominous silence。 the dead resumed their drumming； softer now； and the fog drifted forward with horrible certainty。 touchstone； drenched and partly drowned； watched it with the taut nerves of a mouse captivated by a gliding snake。 somewhere in the back of his mind； he noted that it was easier to see the whiteness of the fog。 up above； the clouds had gone； and the edges of the reservoir were once again lit by filtered sunlight。 but they were forty paces or more from the edge 。 。 。
a cracking noise behind him made him start； and turn； a jolt of fear suddenly overlaid with relief。 sabriel； and her father； were returning to life！ ice flakes fell from them in miniature flurries； and the layer of ice around abhorsen鈥檚 middle broke into several small floes and drifted away。
touchstone blinked as the frost fell away from their hands and faces。 now sabriel was emptyhanded； and abhorsen wielded the sword and bell。
鈥渢hank the charter！鈥潯xclaimed touchstone； as they opened their eyes and moved。
but no one heard him； for in that instant a terrible scream of rage and fury burst out of the fog； so loud the columns shivered； and ripples burst out across the water。
touchstone turned again； and the fog was flying away in shreds； revealing the mordicant crouched low； only its eyes and long mouth； bubbling with oily flames； visible above the water。
behind it； with one elongated hand upon its bogclay head； stood something that might be thought of as a man。
staring； touchstone saw that kerrigor had tried to make the body he currently inhabited look like the rogir of old； but either his skills； memory or taste were sadly lacking。 kerrigor stood at least seven feet tall； his body impossibly deep…chested and narrow…waisted。 his head was too thin； and too long； and his mouth spread from ear to ear。 his eyes did not bear looking at； for they were thin slits burning with free magic fires鈥攏ot eyes at all。
but somehow； even so warped； he did have a little of the look of rogir。 take a man； make him malleable； stretch and twist 。 。 。
the hideous mouth opened； yawning wider and wider； then kerrigor laughed； a short laugh； punctuated by the snap of his closing jaws。
then he spoke； and his voice was as warped and twisted as his body。
鈥渋 am fortunate。 three bearers of blood鈥敗lood for the breaking！ three！鈥�
touchstone kept staring； hearing kerrigor鈥檚 voice； still somewhat like rogir鈥檚； rich but rotten； wet like worm…ridden fruit。 he saw both the new； twisted kerrigor and the other； betterfashioned body he鈥檇 known as rogir。 he saw the dagger again； slashing across the queen鈥檚 throat； the blood cascading out； the golden cup 。 。 。
a hand grabbed him； turned him around； took his left sword from his grasp。 he suddenly refocused； gasping for air again； and saw sabriel。
she had his left sword in her right hand； and now took his open palm in her left； dragging him towards the south。 he let her pull； following in a splashing； loose…limbed run。 everything seemed to close in then； his vision narrowing； like a halfremembered dream。
he saw sabriel鈥檚 father鈥攖he abhorsen鈥攆or the first time devoid of frost。 he looked hard； determined； but he smiled； and bowed his head a fraction as they passed。 touchstone wondered why he was going the wrong way 。 。 。 towards kerrigor； towards the dagger and the catching cup。 mogget was on his shoulder too； and that was unlike mogget； going into danger 。 。 。 there was something else peculiar about mogget too 。 。 。 yes； his collar was gone 。 。 。 maybe he should turn and go back； put mogget鈥檚 collar back on； try and fight kerrigor 。 。 。
鈥渞un！ damn you！ run！鈥潯creamed sabriel； as he half…turned。 her voice snapped him out of whatever trance he鈥檇 been in。 nausea hit； for they鈥檇 left the diamond of protection。 unwarned； he threw up immediately； turning his head as they ran。 he realized he was dragging on sabriel鈥檚 hand； and forced himself to run faster； though his legs felt dead； numbed by savage pins and needles。 he could hear the dead again now； chanting； and drumming； drumming fast。 there were voices too； raised loud； echoing in the vast cavern。 the howl of the mordicant； and a strange buzzing； crackling sound that he felt rather than heard。
they reached the southern stair； but sabriel didn鈥檛 slacken her pace； jumping up and off； out of the twilight of the reservoir into total darkness。
touchstone lost her hand； then found it again； and they stumbled up the steps together； swords held dangerously ahead and behind； striking sparks from the stone。 still they heard the tumult from behind； the howling； drumming； shouting； all magnified by the water and the vastness of the reservoir。 then another sound began； cutting through the noise with the clarity of perfection。
it started softly； like a tuning fork lightly struck； but grew； a pure note； blown by a trumpeter of inexhaustible breath； till there was nothing but the sound。 the sound of astarael。
sabriel and touchstone both stopped； almost in mid…stride。 they felt a terrible urge to leave their bodies； to shuck them off as so much worn…out baggage。 their spirits鈥攖heir essential selves鈥攚anted to go； to go into death and plunge joyfully into the strongest current； to be carried to the very end。
鈥渢hink of life！鈥潯creamed sabriel； her voice only just audible through the pure note。 she could feel touchstone dying； his will insufficient to hold him in life。 he seemed almost to expect this sudden summons into death。
鈥渇ight it！鈥潯he screamed again； dropping her sword to slap him across the face。 鈥渓ive！鈥�
still he slipped away。 desperate； she grabbed him by the ears； and kissed him savagely； biting his lip； the salty blood filling both their mouths。 his eyes cleared； and she felt him concentrate again； concentrate on life； on living。
his sword fell； and he brought his arms up around her and returned her kiss。 then he put his head on her shoulder； and she on his； and they held each other tightly till the single note of astarael slowly died。
silence came at last。 gingerly； they let each other go。 touchstone shakily groped around for his sword； but sabriel lit a candle before he could cut his fingers in the dark。 they looked at each other in the flickering light。 sabriel鈥檚 eyes were wet； touchstone鈥檚 mouth bloody。
鈥渨hat was that？鈥潯ouchstone asked huskily。
鈥渁starael；鈥潯eplied sabriel。 鈥渢he final bell。 it calls everyone who hears it into death。鈥�
鈥渒errigor 。 。 。鈥�
鈥渉e鈥檒l e back；鈥潯hispered sabriel。 鈥渉e鈥檒l always e back； till his real body鈥檚 destroyed。鈥�
鈥測our father？鈥潯ouchstone mumbled。 鈥渕ogget？鈥�
鈥渄ad鈥檚 dead；鈥潯aid sabriel。 her face was posed； but her eyes overflowed into tears。 鈥渉e鈥檒l go quickly beyond the final gate。 mogget鈥攊 don鈥檛 know。鈥�
she fingered the silver ring on her hand； frowned； and bent to pick up the sword she鈥檇 taken from touchstone。
鈥渆 on；鈥潯he ordered。 鈥渨e have to get up to the west yard。 quickly。鈥�
鈥渢he west yard？鈥潯sked touchstone； retrieving his own sword。 he was confused and sick； but he forced himself up。 鈥渙f the palace？鈥�
鈥測es；鈥潯eplied sabriel。 鈥渓et鈥檚 go。鈥�
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chapter xxiv
銆傚皬％璇碸t*xt…澶ｅ爞
the sunshine was harsh to their eyes； for it was surprisingly only a little past noon。 they stumbled out onto the marble steps of the cave； blinking like nocturnal animals prematurely flushed out of an underground warren。
sabriel looked around at the quiet； sunlit trees； the placid expanse of grass； the clogged fountain。
everything seemed so normal； so far removed from the crazed and twisted chamber of horrors that was the reservoir； deep beneath their feet。
she looked at the sky； too； losing focus in the blue； retreating lines of clouds just edging about the fuzzy periphery of her vision。 my father is dead； she thought。 gone forever 。 。 。
鈥渢he road winds around the south…western part of palace hill；鈥潯 voice said； somewhere near her； beyond the blueness。
鈥渨hat？鈥�
鈥渢he road。 up to the west yard。鈥�
it was touchstone talking。 sabriel closed her eyes； told herself to concentrate； to get a grip on the here and now。 she opened her eyes and looked at touchstone。
he was a mess。 face blood…streaked from his bleeding lip； hair wet； plastered flat； armor and clothes darkly sodden。 water dripped down the sword he still held out； angled to the ground。
鈥測ou didn鈥檛 tell me you were a prince；鈥潯abriel said； in a conversational tone。 she might have been menting on the weather。 her voice sounded strange in her own ears； but she didn鈥檛 have the energy to do anything about it。
鈥渋鈥檓 not；鈥潯ouchstone replied； shrugging。 he looked up at the sky while he spoke。