Sabriel (The Abhorsen Trilogy)-第41章

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she　took　a　deep　breath；　willing　the　pain　and　disfort　away。　“i　can　stand　it。　be　careful　when　you　get　in。”

she　drew　her　sword；　and　took　her　candle　back　from　touchstone；　who　prepared　to　enter　the　water。　even　forewarned；　she　saw　him　flinch　as　his　feet　touched　the　bottom；　and　sweat　broke　out　in　lines　on　his　forehead；　mirroring　the　ripples　that　spread　from　his　entry。

sabriel　expected　mogget　to　jump　up　on　her　shoulder；　given　his　apparent　dislike　for　touchstone；　but　he　surprised　her；　leaping　to　the　man。　touchstone　was　clearly　startled　too；　but　recovered　well。　mogget　draped　himself　around　the　back　of　touchstone’s　neck；　and　mewed　softly。

“keep　to　the　edges；　if　you　can。　the　corruption—　the　break—will　have　even　more　unpleasant　effects　near　the　center。”

sabriel　raised　her　sword　in　assent　and　led　off；　following　the　left　wall；　trying　to　break　the　surface　tension　of　the　water　as　little　as　possible。　but　the　quiet　slosh…slosh　of　their　wading　seemed　very　loud；　echoing　and　spreading　up　and　out　through　the　cistern；　adding　to　the　only　other　noise—the　regular　dripping　of　water；　plopping　loudly　from　the　roof；　or　more　sedately　sliding　down　the　columns。

she　couldn’t　sense　any　dead；　but　she　wasn’t　sure　how　much　that　was　due　to　the　broken　stones。　they　made　her　head　hurt；　like　a　constant；　too…loud　noise；　her　stomach　cramped；　her　mouth　was　full　of　the　acrid　taste　of　bile。

they　had　just　reached　the　north…western　corner；　directly　under　one　of　the　light　shafts；　when　the　light　suddenly　dimmed；　and　the　reservoir　grew　dark　in　an　instant；　save　for　the　tiny；　soft　glow　of　the　candles。

“a　cloud；”　whispered　touchstone。　“it　will　pass。”

they　held　their　breath；　looking　up；　up　to　the　tiny　outline　of　light　above；　and　were　rewarded　　when　sunlight　came　pouring　back　down。

relieved；　they　began　to　wade　again；　following　the　long　west…east　wall。　but　it　was　short…lived　relief。　another　cloud　crossed　the　sun；　somewhere　in　that　fresh　air　so　high　above　them；　and　darkness　returned。　more　clouds　followed；　till　there　were　only　brief　moments　of　light　interspersed　by　long　stretches　of　total　dark。

the　reservoir　seemed　colder　without　the　sun；　even　a　sun　diluted　by　passage　down　long　shafts　through　the　earth。　sabriel　felt　the　cold　now；　acpanied　by　the　sudden；　irrational　fear　that　they　had　stayed　too　long；　and　would　emerge　to　a　night　full　of　waiting；　life…hungry　dead。

touchstone　felt　the　chill　too；　made　more　bitter　by　his　memories　of　two　hundred　years　past；　when　he’d　waded　in　this　same　water；　and　seen　the　queen　and　her　two　daughters　sacrificed　and　the　great　stones　broken。　there　had　been　blood　on　the　water　then；　and　he　still　saw　it—a　single　frozen　moment　of　time　that　would　not　get　out　of　his　head。

despite　these　fears；　it　was　the　darkness　that　helped　them。　sabriel　saw　a　glow；　a　faint　luminescence　off　to　her　right；　somewhere　towards　the　center。　shielding　her　eyes　from　the　candle’s　　glare；　she　pointed　it　out　to　touchstone。

“there’s　something　there；”　he　agreed；　his　voice　so　low　sabriel　barely　heard　it。　“but　it’s　at　least　forty　paces　towards　the　center。”

sabriel　didn’t　answer。　she’d　felt　something　from　that　faint　light；　something　like　the　slight　sensation　across　the　back　of　her　neck　that　came　when　her　father’s　sending　visited　her　at　school。

leaving　the　wall；　she　pushed　out　through　the　water；　a　v…line　of　ripples　behind　her。　touchstone　looked　again；　then　followed；　fighting　the　nausea　that　rose　in　him；　ing　in　waves　like　repeated　doses　of　an　emetic。　he　was　dizzy　too；　and　could　no　longer　properly　feel　his　feet。

they　went　about　thirty　paces　out；　the　pain　and　the　nausea　growing　steadily　worse。　then　sabriel　suddenly　stopped；　touchstone　lifting　his　sword　and　candle；　eyes　searching　for　an　attack。　but　there　was　no　enemy　present。　the　luminous　light　came　from　a　diamond　of　protection；　the　four　cardinal　marks　glowing　under　the　water；　lines　of　force　sparkling　between　them。

in　the　middle　of　the　diamond；　a　man…shaped　figure　stood；　empty　hands　outstretched；　as　if　he　had　once　held　weapons。　frost　rimed　his　clothes　and　face；　obscuring　his　features；　and　ice　girdled　　the　water　around　his　middle。　but　sabriel　had　no　doubt　about　who　it　was。

“father；”　she　whispered；　the　whisper　echoing　across　the　dark　water；　to　join　the　faint　sounds　of　the　ever…present　dripping。





chapter　xxi

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“the　diamond　is　plete；”　said　touchstone。　“we　won’t　be　able　to　move　him。”

“yes。　i　know；”　replied　sabriel。　the　relief　that　had　soared　inside　her　at　the　sight　of　her　father　was　ebbing；　giving　way　to　the　sickness　caused　by　the　broken　stones。　“i　think　。　。　。　i　think　i’ll　have　to　go　into　death　from　here；　and　fetch　his　spirit　back。”

“what！”　exclaimed　touchstone。　then；　quieter；　as　the　echoes　rang；　“here？”

“if　we　cast　our　own　diamond　of　protection　。　。　。”

sabriel　continued；　thinking　aloud。　“a　large　one；　around　both　of　us　and　father’s　diamond—that　will　keep　most　danger　at　bay。”

“most　danger；”　touchstone　said　grimly；　looking　around；　trying　to　peer　past　the　tight　confines　of　their　candle’s　little　globe　of　light。

“it　will　also　trap　us　here—even　if　we　can　cast　it；　so　close　to　the　broken　stones。　i　know　that　i　couldn’t　do　it　alone；　at　this　point。”

“we　should　be　able　to　bine　our　strengths。

then；　if　you　and　mogget　keep　watch　while　i　am　in　death；　we　should　manage。”

“what　do　you　think；　mogget？”　asked　touchstone；　turning　his　head；　so　his　cheek　brushed　against　the　little　animal　on　his　shoulder。

“i　have　my　own　troubles；”　grumbled　mogget。

“and　i　think　this　is　probably　a　trap。　but　since　we’re　here；　and　the—abhorsen　emeritus；　shall　we　say；　does　seem　to　be　alive；　i　suppose　there’s　nothing　else　to　be　done。”

“i　don’t　like　it；”　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’t　answer。　she　moved　closer　to　her　father’s　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。

“put　your　sword　away　and　give　me　your　hand；”　she　said；　in　a　tone　that　did　not　invite　conversation　or　argument。　touchstone　hesitated—　his　left　hand　held　only　a　candle；　and　he　didn’t　want　both　his　swords　scabbarded—then　he　plied。　her　hand　was　cold；　colder　than　the　water。　instinctively；　he　gripped　a　little　tighter；　to　give　her　some　of　his　warmth。

“mogget—keep　watch；”　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’s　conjuration。

pain　shot　through　his　hand　and　arm；　as　he　added　his　will　to　sabriel’s。　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’s　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’s　hand　was　hot　and　feverish　now；　and　touchstone’s　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’s　head　dimmed；　normal　feeling　returned　to　touchstone’s　legs　and　feet。　mogget　stirred　and　stretched；　the　first　significant　movement　he’d　made　since　taking　up　position　around　touchstone’s　neck。

“a　good　casting；”　sabriel　said　quietly；　looking　at　the　marks　through　e