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the fourth gate。
“well done；” said abhorsen； his voice deep and familiar； lending fort and warmth like a favorite childhood toy。 “once trapped； it was all i could do to send the bells and sword。 now i am afraid we must hurry； back to life； before kerrigor can plete his plan。 give me saraneth； for now 。 。 。 no； you keep the sword； and ranna； i think。 e on！”
he led the way back； walking swiftly。 sabriel followed at his heels； questions bursting up in her。 she kept looking at him； looking at the familiar features； the way his hair was ragged at the back； the silver stubble just showing on his chin and sideburns。 he wore the same sort of clothes as she did； plete with the surcoat of silver keys。 he wasn’t quite as tall as she remembered。
“father！” she exclaimed； trying to talk； keep up with him and keep watch； all at the same time。 “what is happening？ what is kerrigor’s plan？ i don’t understand。 why wasn’t i brought up here； so i would know things？”
“here？” asked abhorsen； without slowing。
“in death？”
“you know what i mean；” protested sabriel。
“the old kingdom！ why did 。 。 。 i mean； i must be the only abhorsen ever who doesn’t have a clue about how everything works！ why！ why？”
“there’s no simple answer；” replied abhorsen； over his shoulder。 “but i sent you to ancelstierre for two main reasons。 one was to keep you safe。 i had already lost your mother； and the only way to keep you safe in the old kingdom was to keep you either with me or always at our house—practically a prisoner。 i couldn’t keep you with me； because things were getting worse and worse since the death of the regent； two years before you were born。 the second reason was because the clayr advised me to do so。
they said we needed someone—or will need someone—they’re not good with time—who knows ancelstierre。 i didn’t know why then； but i suspect i do now。”
“why？” asked sabriel。
“kerrigor’s body；” replied abhorsen。 “or rogir’s； to give him his original name。 he could never be made truly dead because his body is preserved by free magic； somewhere in life。 it’s like an anchor that always brings him back。 every abhorsen since the breaking of the great stones has been looking for that body—but none of us ever found it； including me； because we never suspected it is in ancelstierre。 obviously； somewhere close to the wall。 the clayr will have located it by now； because kerrigor must have gone to it when he emerged into life。 right； do you want to do the spell； or shall i？”
they had reached the third gate。 he didn’t wait for her answer； but immediately spoke the words。 sabriel felt strange hearing them； rather than speaking them—curiously distant； like a far…off observer。
steps rose before them； cutting through the waterfall and the mist。 abhorsen took them two at a time； showing surprising energy。 sabriel followed as best she could。 she felt tiredness in her bones now； a weariness beyond exhausted muscles。
“ready to run？” asked abhorsen。 he took her elbow as they left the steps and went into the parted mists； a curiously formal gesture that reminded her of when she was a little girl； demanding to be properly escorted when they took a picnic basket out on one of her father’s corporeal school visitations。
they ran before the wave； with hands inside the bells； faster and faster； till sabriel thought her legs would seize up and she’d tumble head over heels； around and around and around； finally clattering to a halt in a tangle of sword and bells。
but she made it somehow； abhorsen chanting the spell that would open the base of the second gate； so they could ascend through the whirlpool。
“as i was saying；” abhorsen continued； taking these steps two at a time as well； speaking as swiftly as he climbed。 “kerrigor could never be properly dealt with till an abhorsen found the body。 all of us pushed him back at various times； as far back as the seventh gate； but that was merely postponing the problem。 he grew stronger all the time； as lesser charter stones were broken； and the kingdom deteriorated— and we grew weaker。”
“who’s we？” asked sabriel。 all this information was ing too quickly； particularly when given at the run。
“the great charter bloodlines；” replied abhorsen。 “which to all intents and purposes means abhorsens and the clayr； since the royal line is all but extinct。 and there is； of course； the relict of the wallmakers； a sort of construct left over after they put their powers in the wall and the great stones。”
he left the rim of the whirlpool； and strode confidently out into the second precinct； sabriel close at his heels。 unlike her earlier halting； probing advance； abhorsen practically jogged along； obviously following a familiar route。
how he could tell； without landmarks or any obvious signs； sabriel had no idea。 perhaps； when she had spent thirty…odd years traversing death； she would find it as easy。
“so；” continued abhorsen。 “we finally have the chance to finish kerrigor once and for all。
the clayr will direct you to his body； you will destroy it； and then banish kerrigor’s spirit form—which will be severely weakened。 after that； you can get the surviving royal prince out of his suspended state； and with the aid of the wallmaker relict； repair the great charter stones 。 。 。”
“the surviving royal prince；” asked sabriel； with a feeling of unlooked…for knowledge rising in her。 “he wasn’t 。 。 。 ah 。 。 。 suspended as a figurehead in holehallow； was he 。 。 。 and his spirit in death？”
“a bastard son； actually； and possibly crazy；”
abhorsen said； without really listening。 “but he has the blood。 what？ oh； yes； yes he is 。 。 。 you said was 。 。 。 you mean—”
“yes；” said sabriel； unhappily。 “he calls himself touchstone。 and he’s waiting in the reservoir。
near the stones。 with mogget。”
abhorsen paused for the first time； clearly taken aback。
“all our plans go astray； it seems；” he said somberly； sighing。 “kerrigor lured me to the reservoir to use my blood to break a great stone； but i managed to protect myself； so he contented himself with trapping me in death。
he thought you would be lured to my body； and he could use your blood—but i was not trapped as securely as he thought； and planned a reverse。
but now； if the prince is there； he has another source of blood to break the great charter—”
“he’s in the diamond of protection；” sabriel said； suddenly feeling afraid for touchstone。
“that may not suffice；” replied abhorsen grimly。 “kerrigor grows stronger every day he spends in life； taking the strength from living folk； and feeding off the broken stones。 he will soon be able to break even the strongest charter magic defenses。 he may be strong enough now。
but tell me of the prince’s panion。 who is mogget？”
“mogget？” repeated sabriel； surprised again。
“but i met him at our house！ he’s a free magic—something—wearing the shape of a white cat； with a red collar that carries a miniature saraneth。”
“mogget；” said abhorsen； as if trying to get his mouth around an unpalatable morsel。 “that is the wallmaker relict； or their last creation； or their child—no one knows； possibly no