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therwise。 i have to do something； make new memories； better ones。 i need to 。 。 。 seek redemption。 besides； i am still a member of the royal guard。 it is my duty。”
“so be it；” said sabriel。 “anyway； i’m glad you’re here。”
“i am too—in a strange sort of way；” said touchstone； and he almost； but not quite； smiled。
“i’m not；” interrupted mogget； decidedly。
“let’s get on with it。 we’re wasting sunlight。”
the door was locked； but opened easily to sabriel’s spell； the simple charter symbols of unlocking and opening flowing from her mind through to her index finger； which lay against the keyhole。 but though the spell was successful； it had been difficult to cast。 even up here； the broken stones of the great charter exerted an influence that disrupted charter magic。
the faint candlelight showed damp； crumbly steps； leading straight down。 no curves or turns； just a straight stair leading into darkness。
sabriel trod gingerly； feeling the soft stone crumble under her heavy boots； so she had to keep her heels well back on each step。 this made for slow progress； with touchstone close behind her； the light from his candle casting sabriel’s shadow down the steps in front； so she saw herself elongated and distorted； sliding into the dark beyond the light。
she smelled the reservoir before she saw it； somewhere around the thirty…ninth step。 a chill； damp smell that cut into her nose and lungs； and filled her with the impression of a cold expanse。
then the steps ended in a doorway on the edge of a vast； rectangular hall—a giant chamber where stone columns rose up like a forest to support a roof sixty feet above her head； and the floor before her wasn’t stone； but water as cold and still as stone。 around the walls； pallid shafts of sunlight thrust down in counterpoint to the supporting columns； leaving discs of light on the water。 these made the rim of the reservoir a pletudy of light and shade； but the center remained unknown； cloaked in heavy darkness。
sabriel felt touchstone touch her shoulder； then she heard his whisper。
“it’s about waist…deep。 try and slip in as quietly as possible。 here—i’ll take your candle。”
sabriel nodded； passed the candle back； sheathed her sword； and sat down on the last step； before slowly easing herself into the water。
it was cold； but not unbearable。 despite sabriel’s care； ripples spread out from her； silver on the dark water； and there had been the tiniest splash。 her feet touched the bottom； and she only half stifled a gasp。 not from the cold； but from the sudden awareness of the two broken stones of the great charter。 it hit her like the savage onset of gastric flu； bringing stomach cramps； sudden sweat and dizziness。 bent over； she clutched at the step； till the first pains subsided to a dull ache。 it was much worse than the lesser stones； broken at cloven crest and nestowe。
“what is it？” whispered touchstone。
“ah 。 。 。 the broken stones；” sabriel muttered。
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