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sabriel added quietly； as if thinking to herself。
鈥渋 wonder why？鈥�
neither mogget nor touchstone answered。
for a moment； sabriel considered asking the woman herself； but her impetuous desire for journeys into death had been soundly dampened by recent experience。 instead； she cut the woman鈥檚 bonds； and arranged her as best she could； ending up with a sort of curled…up sleeping position。
鈥渋 don鈥檛 know your name； healer；鈥潯abriel whispered。 鈥渂ut i hope you go quickly beyond the final gate。 farewell。鈥�
she stood back and drew the charter marks for the funeral pyre above the corpse； whispering the names of the marks as she did so鈥攂ut her fingers fumbled and words went awry。 the baleful influence of the broken stone pressed against her； like a wrestler gripping her wrists； clamping her jaw。 sweat beaded on her forehead； and pain shot through her limbs； her hands shaking with effort； tongue clumsy； seeming swollen in her suddenly dry mouth。
then she felt assistance e； strength flowing through her； reinforcing the marks； steadying her hands； clearing her voice。 she pleted the litany； and a spark exploded above the woman； became a twisting flame； then grew to a fierce； white…hot blaze that spread the length of the woman鈥檚 body； totally consuming it； to leave only ash； light cargo for the sea winds。
the extra strength came through touchstone鈥檚 hand； his open palm lightly resting on her shoulder。
as she straightened up； the touch was lost。
when sabriel turned around； touchstone was just drawing his right…hand sword； eyes fixed on the houses鈥攁s if he鈥檇 had nothing to do with helping her。
鈥渢hank you；鈥潯aid sabriel。 touchstone was a strong charter mage； perhaps as strong as she was。 this surprised her； though she couldn鈥檛 think why。 he鈥檇 made no secret of being a charter mage鈥攕he鈥檇 just assumed he would only know a few of the more fighting…related marks and spells。 petty magics。
鈥渨e should move on；鈥潯aid mogget； prowling backwards and forwards in agitation； carefully avoiding the fragments from the broken stone。
鈥渇ind a boat； and put to sea before nightfall。鈥�
鈥渢he harbor is that way；鈥潯ouchstone added quickly； pointing with his sword。 both he and the cat seemed very keen to leave the area around the broken stone； thought sabriel。 but then； so was she。 even in bright daylight； it seemed to dull the color around it。 the lawn was already more yellow than green； and even the shadows looked thicker and more abundant than they should。 she shivered； remembering cloven crest and the thing called thralk。
the harbor lay on the northern side of the bluff； reached by another series of steps in the rocky hill； or in the case of cargo； via one of the shear…legged hoists that lined the edge of the bluff。 long wooden jetties thrust out into the clear blue…green water； sheltered under the lee of a rocky island； a smaller sibling of the village bluff。 a long breakwater of huge boulders joined island and shore； pleting the harbor鈥檚 protection from wind and wave。
there were no boats moored in the harbor； tied up to the jetties； or at the harbor wall。 not even a dinghy； hauled up for repair。 sabriel stood on the steps； looking down； mind temporarily devoid of further plans。 she just watched the swirl of the sea around the barnacled piles of the jetties； the moving shadows in the blue； marking small fish schooling about their business。
mogget sat near her feet； sniffing the air； silent。
touchstone stood higher； behind her； guarding the rear。
鈥渨hat now？鈥潯sked sabriel； generally indicating the empty harbor below； her arm moving with the same rhythm as the swell； in its perpetual tilt against wood and stone。
鈥渢here are people on the island；鈥潯ogget said； eyes slitted against the wind。 鈥渁nd boats tied up between the two outcrops of rock on the southwest。鈥�
sabriel looked； but saw nothing； till she extracted the telescope from the pack on touchstone鈥檚 back。 he stood pletely still while she ferreted around； silent as the empty village。 playing wooden again； sabriel thought； but she didn鈥檛 really mind。 he was being helpful； without metaphorically tugging his forelock every few minutes。
through the telescope； she saw that mogget was right。 there were several boats partly hidden between two spurs of rock； and some slight signs of habitation： a glimpse of a washing line； blown around the corner of a tall rock； the momentary sight of movement between two of the six or seven ramshackle wooden buildings that nestled on the island鈥檚 south…western side。
shifting her gaze to the breakwater； sabriel followed its length。 as she鈥檇 half expected； there was a gap in the very middle of it； where the sea rushed through with considerable force。 a pile of timber on the island side of the breakwater indicated that there had once been a bridge there； now removed。
鈥渋t looks like the villagers fled to the island；鈥�
she said； shutting the telescope down。 鈥渢here鈥檚 a gap in the breakwater； to keep running water between the island and shore。 an ideal defense against the dead。 i don鈥檛 think even a mordicant would risk crossing deep tidal water鈥斺��
鈥渓et鈥檚 go then；鈥潯uttered touchstone。 he sounded nervous again； jumpy。 sabriel looked at him； then above his head； and saw why he was nervous。 clouds were rolling in from the southeast； behind the village鈥攄ark clouds； laden with rain。 the air was calm； but now she saw the clouds； sabriel recognized it was the calm before heavy rain。 the sun would not be guarding them for very much longer and night would be an early guest。
without further urging； she set off down the steps； down to the harborside； then along to the breakwater。 touchstone followed more slowly； turning every few steps to watch the rear。 mogget did likewise； his small cat…face continually looking back； peering up at the houses。
behind them； shutters inched open and fleshless eyes watched from the safety of shadows； watched the trio marching out to the breakwater； still washed in harsh sunlight； flanked by swiftmoving waves of terrible water。 rotten； corroded teeth ground and gnashed in skeletal mouths。
farther bac