sabriel (the abhorsen trilogy)_加斯·尼克斯-第38部分

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鈥渋　don鈥檛　like　it；鈥潯�whispered　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�she　said；　in　a　tone　that　did　not　invite　conversation　or　argument。　touchstone　hesitated鈥敗�his　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�sabriel　instructed。

she　closed　her　eyes；　and　began　to　visualize　the　east　mark；　the　first　of　the　four　cardinal　wards。

touchstone　took　a　quick　look　around；　then　closed　his　eyes　too；　drawn　in　by　the　force　of　sabriel鈥檚　conjuration。

pain　shot　through　his　hand　and　arm；　as　he　added　his　will　to　sabriel鈥檚。　the　mark　seemed　blurry　in　his　head；　and　impossible　to　focus。　the　pins　and　needles　that　had　already　plagued　his　feet　spread　up　above　his　knees；　shooting　them　through　with　rheumatic　pains。　but　he　blocked　off　the　pain；　narrowing　his　consciousness　to　just　one　　thing：　the　creation　of　a　diamond　of　protection。

finally；　the　east　mark　flowed　down　sabriel鈥檚　blade　and　took　root　in　the　reservoir　floor。

without　opening　their　eyes；　the　duo　shuffled　around　to　face　the　south；　and　the　next　mark。

this　was　harder　still；　and　both　of　them　were　sweating　and　shaking　when　it　finally　began　its　glowing　existence。　sabriel鈥檚　hand　was　hot　and　feverish　now；　and　touchstone鈥檚　flesh　ricocheted　violently　between　sweating　heat　and　shivering　cold。　a　terrible　wave　of　nausea　hit　him；　and　he　would　have　been　sick；　but　sabriel　gripped　his　hand；　like　a　falcon　its　prey；　and　lent　him　strength。　he　gagged；　dry…retched　once；　then　recovered。

the　west　mark　was　simply　a　trial　of　endurance。

sabriel　lost　concentration　for　a　moment；　so　touchstone　had　to　hold　the　mark　alone　for　a　few　seconds；　the　effort　making　him　feel　drunk　in　the　most　unpleasant　way；　the　world　spinning　inside　his　head；　totally　out　of　control。　then　sabriel　forced　herself　back　and　the　west　mark　flowered　under　the　water。

desperation　gave　them　the　north　mark。　they　struggled　with　it　for　what　seemed　like　hours；　but　was　only　seconds；　till　it　almost　squirmed　　from　them　uncast。　but　at　that　moment；　sabriel　spent　all　the　force　of　her　desire　to　free　her　father；　and　touchstone　pushed　with　the　weight　of　two　hundred　years　of　guilt　and　sorrow。

the　north　mark　rolled　brightly　down　the　sword　and　grew　to　brilliance；　brilliance　dulled　by　the　water。　lines　of　charter…fire　ran　from　it　to　the　east　mark；　from　east　mark　to　south　mark　to　west　mark　and　back　again。　the　diamond　was　plete。

immediately；　they　felt　a　lessening　of　the　terrible　presence　of　the　broken　stones。　the　high…pitched　pain　in　sabriel鈥檚　head　dimmed；　normal　feeling　returned　to　touchstone鈥檚　legs　and　feet。　mogget　stirred　and　stretched；　the　first　significant　movement　he鈥檇　made　since　taking　up　position　around　touchstone鈥檚　neck。

鈥渁　good　casting；鈥潯�sabriel　said　quietly；　looking　at　the　marks　through　eyes　half…lidded　in　weariness。

鈥渂etter　than　the　last　one　i　cast。鈥�

鈥渋　don鈥檛　know　how　we　did　it；鈥潯�muttered　touchstone；　staring　down　at　the　lines　of　charterfire。

he　suddenly　became　aware　that　he　was　still　holding　sabriel鈥檚　hand；　and　slumping　like　an　aged　wood　collector　under　a　heavy　burden。　he　straightened　up　suddenly；　dropping　her　hand　as　　if　it　were　the　fanged　end　of　a　snake。

she　looked　at　him；　rather　startled；　and　he　found　himself　staring　at　the　reflection　of　his　candle…flame　in　her　dark　eyes。　almost　for　the　first　time；　he　really　looked　at　her。　he　saw　the　weariness　there；　and　the　incipient　lines　of　care；　and　the　way　her　mouth　looked　a　little　sad　around　the　edges。　her　nose　was　still　swollen；　and　there　were　yellowing　bruises　on　her　cheekbones。

she　was　also　beautiful　and　touchstone　realized　that　he　had　thought　of　her　only　in　terms　of　her　office；　as　abhorsen。　not　as　a　woman　at　all　。　。　。

鈥渋鈥檇　better　be　going；鈥潯�said　sabriel；　suddenly　embarrassed　by　touchstone鈥檚　stare。　her　left　hand　went　to　the　bell…bandolier；　fingers　feeling　for　the　straps　that　held　saraneth。

鈥渓et　me　help；鈥潯�said　touchstone。　he　stood　close；　fumbling　with　the　stiff　leather；　hands　weakened　by　the　effort　spent　on　the　diamond　of　protection；　his　head　bowed　over　the　bells。

sabriel　looked　down　on　his　hair；　and　was　strangely　tempted　to　kiss　the　exact　center；　a　tiny　part　marking　the　epicenter　where　his　tight　brown　curls　radiated　outwards。　but　she　didn鈥檛。

the　strap　came　undone；　and　touchstone　　stepped　back。　sabriel　drew　saraneth；　carefully　stilling　the　bell。

鈥渋t　probably　won鈥檛　be　a　long　wait　for　you；鈥潯�she　said。　鈥渢ime　moves　strangely　in　death。　if　。　。　。　if　i鈥檓　not　back　in　two　hours；　then　i　probably　。　。　。　i鈥檒l　probably　be　trapped　too；　so　you　and　mogget　should　leave　。　。　。鈥�

鈥渋鈥檒l　be　waiting；鈥潯�replied　touchstone　firmly。

鈥渨ho　knows　what　time　it　is　down　here　anyway？鈥�

鈥渁nd　i鈥檒l　wait；　it　seems；鈥潯�added　mogget。

鈥渦nless　i　want　to　swim　out　of　here。　which　i　don鈥檛。　may　the　charter　be　with　you；　sabriel。鈥�

鈥渁nd　with　you；鈥潯�said　sabriel。　she　looked　around　the　dark　expanse　of　the　reservoir。　she　still　couldn鈥檛　sense　any　of　the　dead　out　there鈥敗�and　yet　。　。　。

鈥渨e鈥檒l　need　it　to　be　with　us；鈥潯�mogget　replied　sourly。　鈥渙ne　way　or　another。鈥�

鈥渋　hope　not；鈥潯�whispered　sabriel。　she　checked　the　pouch　at　her　belt　for　the　small　things　she鈥檇　prepared　back　at　the　sign　of　three　lemons；　then　turned　to　face　the　north　mark　and　started　to　raise　her　sword；　beginning　her　preparations　to　enter　death。

suddenly；　touchstone　sloshed　forward　and　quickly　kissed　her　on　the　cheek鈥攁　clumsy；　　dry…lipped　peck　that　almost　hit　the　rim　of　her　helmet　rather　than　her　cheek。

鈥渇or　luck；鈥潯�touchstone　said　nervously。

鈥渟abriel。鈥�

she　smiled；　and　nodded　twice；　then　looked　back　to　the　north。　her　eyes　focused　on　something　not　there　and　waves　of　cold　air　billowed　from　her　motionless　form。　a　second　later；　ice　crystals　began　to　crack　out　of　her　hair；　and　frost　ran　in　lines　down　the　sword　and　bell。

touchstone　watched；　close　by；　till　it　grew　too　cold；　then　he　retreated　to　the　far　southern　vertice　of　the　diamond。　drawing　one　sword；　he　turned　outwards；　holding　his　candle　high；　and　started　to　wade　around　inside　the　lines　of　charter…fire　as　if　he　were　patrolling　the　battlements　of　a　castle。

mogget　watched　too；　from　his　shoulder；　his　green　eyes　lit　with　their　own　internal　luminescence。

both　of　them　often　turned　to　gaze　at　sabriel。

the　crossing　into　death　was　made　easy鈥攆ar　too　easy鈥攂y　the　presence　of　the　broken　stones。

sabriel　felt　them　near　her；　like　two　yawning　gates；　proclaiming　easy　entry　to　life　for　any　　　dead　nearby。　fortunately；　the　other　effect　of　the　stones鈥攖he　sickening　illness鈥攄isappeared　in　death。　there　was　only　the　chill　and　tug　of　the　river。

sabriel　started　forward　immediately；　carefully　scanning　the　grey　expanse　before　her。　things　moved　at　the　edge　of　her　vision；　she　heard　movement　in　the　cold　waters。　but　nothing　came　towards　her；　nothing　attacked；　save　the　constant　twining　and　gripping　of　the　current。

she　came　to　the　first　gate；　halting　just　beyond　the　wall　of　mist　that　stretched　out　as　far　as　she　could　see　to　either　side。　the　river　roared　beyond　that　mist；　turbulent　rapids　going　through　to　the　second　precinct；　and　on　to　the　second　gate。

remembering　pages　from　the　book　of　the　dead；　sabriel　spoke　words　of　power。　free　magic；　that　shook　her　mouth　as　she　spoke；　jarring　her　teeth；　burning　her　tongue　with　raw　power。

the　veil　of　mist　parted；　revealing　a　series　of　waterfalls　that　appeared　to　drop　into　an　unending　blackness。　sabriel　spoke　some　more　words；　and　gestured　to　the　right　and　left　with　her　sword。

a　path　appeared；　parting　the　waterfall　like　a　finger　drawn　through　butter。　sabriel　stepped　out　onto　it；　and　walked　down；　the　waters　crashing　harmlessly　on　either　side。　behind　her；　the　mist　closed　up　and；　as　her　rearmost　heel　lifted　to　make　her　next　step；　the　path　disappeared。

the　second　precinct　was　more　dangerous　than　the　first。　there　were　deep　holes；　as　well　as　the　ever…present　current。　the　light　was　worse　too。

not　the　total　darkness　promised　at　the　end　of　the　waterfalls；　but　there　was　a　different　quality　in　its　greyness。　a　blurring　effect；　that　made　it　difficult　to　see　further　than　you　could　touch。

sabriel　continued　carefully；　using　her　sword　to　probe　the　ground　ahead。　there　was　an　easy　way　through；　she　knew；　a　course　mapped　and　plotted　by　many　necromancers　and　not　a　few　abhorsens；　but　she　didn鈥檛　trust　her　memory　to　tread　confidently　ahead　at　speed。

always；　her　senses　quested　for　her　father鈥檚　spirit。　he　was　somewhere　in　death；　she　was　positive　of　that。　there　was　always　the　faintest　trace　of　him；　a　lingering　memory。　but　it　was　not　this　close　to　life。　she　would　have　to　go　on。

the　second　gate　was　essentially　an　enormous　hole；　at　least　two　hundred　yards　across；　into　which　the　river　sank　like　sinkwater　down　a　drain。　unlike　a　normal　drain；　it　was　eerily　silent；　and　with　the　difficult　light；　easy　for　the　unwary　　to　walk　up　to　its　rim。　sabriel　was　always　particularly　careful　with　this　gate鈥攕he　had　learned　to　sense　the　feel　of　its　tug　against　her　shins　at　an　early　age。　she　stopped　well　back　when　the　tug　came；　and　tried　to　focus　on　the　silently　raging　whirlpool。

a　faint　squelching　sound　behind　her　made　her　turn；　sword　scything　around　at　full　arm…stretch；　a　great　circle　of　charter…spelled　steel。　it　struck　dead　spirit…flesh；　sparks　flying；　a　scream　of　rage　and　pain　filling　the　silence。　sabriel　almost　jumped　back；　at　that　scream；　but　she　held　her　ground。　the　second　gate　was　too　close。

the　thing　she鈥檇　hit　stepped　ba