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灏忥伎璇磘xt澶╋伎鍫�
by the morning of the sixth day out of nestowe； sabriel was heartily tired of nautical life。 they鈥檇 sailed virtually non…stop all that time； only putting into shore at noon for fresh water； and only then when it was sunny。
nights were spent under sail； or； when exhaustion claimed touchstone； hove…to with a sea anchor； the unsleeping mogget standing watch。
fortunately； the weather had been kind。
it had been a relatively uneventful five days。
two days from nestowe to beardy point； an unprepossessing peninsula whose only interesting features were a sandy…bottomed beach and a clear stream。 devoid of life； it was also devoid of the dead。 here； for the first time； sabriel could no longer sense the pursuing mordicant。 a good； strong； south…easterly had propelled them； reaching northwards； at too fast a pace for it to follow。
three days from beardy point to the island of ilgard； its rocky cliffs climbing sheer from the sea； a grey and pockmarked tenement； home to tens of thousands of seabirds。 they passed it late in the afternoon； their single sail stretched to bursting； clinker…built hull heeling well over； bow slicing up a column of spray that salted mouths； eyes and bodies。
it was half a day from ilgard to the belis mouth； that narrow strait that led to the sea of saere。 but that was tricky sailing； so they spent the night hove…to just out of sight of ilgard； to wait for the light of day。
鈥渢here is a boom…chain across the belis mouth；鈥潯ouchstone explained； as he raised the sail and sabriel hauled the sea anchor in over the bow。 the sun was rising behind him； but had not yet pulled itself out of the sea； so he was no more than a dim shadow in the stern。 鈥渋t was built to keep pirates and suchlike out of the sea of saere。 you won鈥檛 believe the size of it鈥攊 can鈥檛 imagine how it was forged； or strung across。鈥�
鈥渨ill it still be there？鈥潯abriel asked； cautiously； not wanting to prevent touchstone鈥檚 strangely talkative mood。
鈥渋鈥檓 sure of it；鈥潯eplied touchstone。 鈥渨e鈥檒l see the towers on the opposite shores first。 winding post； to the south； and boom hook to the north。鈥�
鈥渘ot very imaginative names；鈥潯ented sabriel； unable to help herself from interrupting。
it was just such a pleasure to talk！ touchstone had lapsed back into non…munication for most of the voyage； though he did have a good excuse鈥攈andling the fishing boat for eighteen hours a day； even in good weather； didn鈥檛 leave much energy for conversation。
鈥渢hey鈥檙e named after their purpose；鈥潯eplied touchstone。 鈥渨hich makes sense。鈥�
鈥渨ho decides whether to let vessels past the chain？鈥潯sked sabriel。 already； she was thinking ahead； wondering about belisaere。 could it be like nestowe鈥攖he city abandoned； riddled with the dead？ 鈥渁h；鈥潯aid touchstone。 鈥渋 hadn鈥檛 thought about that。 in my time； there was a royal boom master； with a force of guards and a squadron of small； picket ships。 if； as mogget says； the city has fallen into anarchy 。 。 。鈥�
鈥渢here may also be people working for； or in alliance with； the dead；鈥潯abriel added thoughtfully。
鈥渟o even if we cross the boom in daylight； there could be trouble。 i think i鈥檇 better reverse my surcoat and hide my helmet wrapping。鈥�
鈥渨hat about the bells？鈥潯sked touchstone。
he leaned past her； to draw the main sheet tighter； right hand slightly nudging the tiller to take advantage of a shift in the wind。 鈥渢hey鈥檙e fairly obvious； to say the least。鈥�
鈥渋鈥檒l just look like a necromancer；鈥潯abriel replied。 鈥渁 salty； unwashed necromancer。鈥�
鈥渋 don鈥檛 know；鈥潯aid touchstone； who couldn鈥檛 see that sabriel was joking。 鈥渘o necromancer would be let into the city； or would stay alive； in鈥斺��
鈥渋n your day；鈥潯nterrupted mogget； from his favorite post on the bow。 鈥渂ut this is now； and i am sure that necromancers and worse are not unmon sights in belisaere。鈥�
鈥渋鈥檒l wear a cloak鈥斺�潯abriel started to say。
鈥渋f you say so；鈥潯ouchstone said； at the same time。 clearly； he didn鈥檛 believe the cat。 belisaere was the royal capital； a huge city； home to at least fifty thousand people。 touchstone couldn鈥檛 imagine it fallen； decayed and in the hands of the dead。 despite his own inner fears and secret knowledge； he couldn鈥檛 help but be confident that the belisaere they were sailing towards would be little different from the two…hundredyear… old images locked in his memory。
that confidence took a blow as the belis mouth towers became visible above the blue line of the horizon； on opposite shores of the strait。
at first； the towers were no more than dark smudges； that grew taller as wind and wave carried the boat towards them。 through her telescope； sabriel saw that they were made from a beautiful； rosy…pink stone that once must have been magnificent。 now they were largely blackened by fire； their majesty vanished。 winding post had lost the top three storys； from seven； boom hook stood as tall as ever； but sunlight shone through gaping holes； showing the interior to be a gutted ruin。 there was no sign of any garrison； toll collector； windlass mules； or anything alive。
the great boom…chain still stretched across the strait。 huge iron links； each as wide and long as the fishing boat； rose green and barnaclebefouled out of the water and up into each of the towers。 glimpses of it could be seen in the middle of the mouth； when the swell dipped； and a length of chain shone slick and green in the wave trough； like some lurking monster of the deep。
鈥渨e鈥檒l have to go in close to the winding post tower； unstep the mast and row under the chain where it rises；鈥潯ouchstone declared； after studying the chain for several minutes through the telescope； trying to gauge whether it had sunk enough to allow them passage。 but even with their relatively shallow…draft boat； it would be too risky； and they daren鈥檛 wait for high tide； late in the afternoon。 at some time in the past； perhaps when the towers were abandoned； the chain had been winched up to its maximum tension。 the engineers who鈥檇 made it would have been pleased； for there seemed to be no noticeable slippage。
鈥渕ogget； go to the bow and keep a lookout for anything in the water。 sabriel； could you please watch the shore and the tower； to guard against attack。鈥�
sabriel nodded； pleased that touchstone鈥檚 stint as captain of their small vessel had done a lot to remove the servant nonsense out of him and make him more like a normal person。 mogget； for his part； jumped up to the bow without protest； despite the spray that occasionally burst over his head as they cut diagonally across the swell鈥攖owards the small triangle of opportunity between shore； sea and chain。
they came in as close as they dared before unstepping the mast。 the swell had diminished； for the belis mouth was well…sheltered by the two arms of land； but the tide had turned； and a tidal race was beginning to run from the ocean to the saere sea。 so； even without mast and sail； they were borne rapidly towards the chain； touchstone rowing with all his strength just to keep steerage way。 after a moment； this clearly became impossible； so sabriel took one of the oars； and they rowed together； with mogget yowling directions。
every few seconds； at the end of a full stroke； her back nearly level with the thwarts； sabriel snatched a glimpse over her shoulder。 they were headed for the narrow passage； between the high but crumbling seawall of winding post； and the enormous chain rising out of the swift…flowing sea in a swath of white froth。 she could hear the melancholy groaning of the links； like a chorus of pained walruses。 even that gargantuan chain moved at the sea鈥檚 whim。
鈥減ort a little；鈥潯owled mogget。 touchstone backed his oar for a moment； then the cat jumped down； yelling； 鈥渟hip oars and duck！鈥�
the oars came rattling； splashing in； both sabriel and touchstone simply lying down on their backs； with mogget somewhere between them。 the boat rocked and plunged； and the groan of the chain sounded close and terrible。
sabriel； one moment looking up at the clear； blue sky； in the next saw nothing but green； weedstrewn iron above her。 when the swell lifted the boat up； she could have reached out and touched the great boom…chain of belis mouth。
then they were past； and touchstone was already pushing out his oar； mogget moving to the bow。 sabriel wanted to lie there； just looking up at the sky； but the collapsed seawall of winding post was no more than an oar…length away。 she sat up and resumed her duty as a rower。
the water changed color in the sea of saere。
sabriel trailed her hand in it； marveling at its clear turquoise sheen。 for all its color； it was incredibly transparent。 the water was very deep； but she could see down the first three or four fathoms； watching small fish dance under the bubbles of their boat鈥檚 wake。
she felt relaxed； momentarily carefree； all the troubles that lay ahead and behind her temporarily lost in single…minded contemplation of the clear blue…green water。 there was no dead presence here； no constant awareness of the many doors to death。 even charter magic was dissipated at sea。 for a few minutes； she forgot about touchstone and mogget。 even her father faded from her mind。 there was only the sea鈥檚 color； and its coolness on her hand。
鈥渨e鈥檒l be able to see the city soon；鈥潯ouchstone said； interrupting her mental holiday。 鈥渋f the towers are still standing。鈥�
sabriel nodded thoughtfully； and slowly took her hand from the sea； as if she were parting from a dear friend。
鈥渋t must be difficult for you；鈥潯he said； almost to herself； not really expecting him to answer。
鈥渢wo hundred years gone； the kingdom slowly falling into ruin while you slept。鈥�
鈥渋 didn鈥檛 really believe it； till i saw nestowe； and then the belis mouth towers；鈥潯eplied touchstone。 鈥渘ow i am afraid鈥攅ven for a great city that i never believed could really change。鈥�
鈥渘o imagination；鈥潯aid mogget； sternly。 鈥渘o thinking ahead。 a flaw in your character。 a fatal flaw。鈥�
鈥渕ogget；鈥潯abriel said indignantly； angry at the cat for crushing yet another possible conversation。
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