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she looked back through the telescope again and took some heart in the slowing of the work as the last light faded； though at the same time she felt a pang of sympathy for the poor people the dead had enslaved。 many would probably freeze to death； or die of exhaustion； only to be brought back as dull…witted hands。 only those who went over the waterfall would escape that fate。 truly； the old kingdom was a terrible place； when even death did not mean an end to slavery and despair。
鈥渋s there another way out？鈥潯he asked； swivelling the telescope around degrees to look at the northern bank。 there were stepping…stones going there； too； and another door high on the riverbank； but there were also dark shapes clustered on the ledge by the door。 four or five shadow hands； too many for sabriel to fight through alone。
鈥渋t seems not；鈥潯he answered herself grimly。
鈥渨hat of defenses； then？ can the sendings fight？鈥�
鈥渢he sendings don鈥檛 need to fight；鈥潯eplied mogget。 鈥渇or there is another defense； though it is a rather constrictive one。 and there is one other way out； though you probably won鈥檛 like it。鈥�
the sending next to her nodded and pantomimed something with its arm that looked like a snake wiggling through grass。
鈥渨hat鈥檚 that？鈥潯sked sabriel； fighting back a sudden urge to break into hysterical laughter。
鈥渢he defense or the way out？鈥�
鈥渢he defense；鈥潯eplied mogget。 鈥渢he river itself。 it can be invoked to rise almost to the height of the island walls鈥攆our times your height above the stepping…stones。 nothing can pass such a flood； in or out； till it subsides； in a matter of weeks。鈥�
鈥渟o how would i get out？鈥潯sked sabriel。 鈥渋 can鈥檛 wait weeks！鈥�
鈥渙ne of your ancestors built a flying device。 a paperwing； she called it。 you can use that； launched out over the waterfall。鈥�
鈥渙h；鈥潯aid sabriel； in a little voice。
鈥渋f you do wish to raise the river；鈥潯ogget continued； as if he hadn鈥檛 noticed sabriel鈥檚 sudden silence； 鈥渢hen we must begin the ritual immediately。 the flood es from meltwater and the mountains are many leagues upstream。 if we call the waters now； the flood will be on us by dusk tomorrow。鈥�
xi锛shuotx锛础锛辑
chapter x
銆傚皬锛胯锛縯xt澶╁爞
the arrival of the floodwaters was heralded by great chunks of ice that came battering against the wooden bridge of grave dirt boxes like storm…borne icebergs ramming anchored ships。 ice shattered； wood splintered； a regular drumming that beat out a warning； announcing the great wave that followed the outriding ice。
dead hands and living slaves scurried back along the coffin bridge； the dead鈥檚 shadowy bodies losing shape as they ran； so they became like long； thick worms of black crepe； squirming and sliding over rocks and boxes； throwing human slaves aside without mercy； desperate to escape the destruction that came roaring down the river。
sabriel； watching from the tower； felt the people die； convulsively swallowing as she sensed their last breaths gurgling； sucking water instead of air。 some of them； at least two pairs； had deliberately thrown themselves into the river； choosing a final death； rather than risk eternal bondage。 most had been knocked； pushed or simply scared aside by the dead。
the wavefront of the flood came swiftly after the ice； shouting as it came； a higher； fiercer roar than the deep bellow of the waterfall。 sabriel heard it for several seconds before it rounded the last bend of the river； then suddenly； it was almost upon her。 a huge； vertical wall of water； with chunks of ice on its crest like marble battlements and all the debris of four hundred miles swilling about in its muddy body。 it looked enormous； far taller than the island鈥檚 walls； taller even than the tower where sabriel stared； shocked at the power she had unleashed； a power she had hardly dreamed possible when she鈥檇 summoned it the night before。
it had been a simple enough summoning。
mogget had taken her to the cellar and then down a winding； narrow stair； that grew colder and colder as they descended。 finally； they reached a strange grotto； where icicles hung and sabriel鈥檚 breath blew clouds of white； but it was no longer cold； or perhaps so cold she no longer felt it。 a block of pure； blue…white ice stood upon a stone pedestal； both limned with charter marks； marks strange and beautiful。
then； following mogget鈥檚 instruction； she鈥檇 simply placed her hand on the ice； and said； 鈥渁bhorsen pays her respects to the clayr； and requests the gift of water。鈥潯hat was all。 they鈥檇 gone back up the stairs； a sending locked the cellar door behind them； and another brought sabriel a nightshirt and a cup of hot chocolate。
but that simple ceremony had summoned something that seemed totally out of control。
sabriel watched the wave racing towards them； trying to calm herself； but her breath raced in and out as quickly as her stomach flipped over。
just as the wave hit； she screamed and ducked under the telescope。
the whole tower shook； stones screeching as they moved； and for a moment； even the sound of the waterfall was lost in a crack that sounded as if the island had been leveled by the first shock of the wave。
but； after a few seconds； the floor stopped shaking； and the crash of the flood subsided to a controlled roar； like a shouting drunk made aware of pany。 sabriel hauled herself up the tripod and opened her eyes。
the walls had held； and though now the wave was past； the river still raged a mere handspan below the island鈥檚 defenses and was almost up to the tunnel doors on either bank。
there was no sign of the stepping…stones； the coffin bridge； the dead； or any people鈥攋ust a wide； brown rushing torrent； carrying debris of all descriptions。 trees； bushes； parts of buildings； livestock； chunks of ice鈥攖he flood had claimed its tribute from every riverbank for hundreds of miles。
sabriel looked at this evidence of destruction and inwardly counted the number of villagers who had died on the grave boxes。 who knew how many other lives had been lost； or livelihoods threatened； upstream？ part of her tried to rationalize her use of the flood； telling her that she had to do it in order to fight on against the dead。 another part said she had simply summoned the flood to save herself。
mogget had no time for such introspection； mourning or pangs of responsibility。 he left her watching； blank…eyed； for no more than a minute； before padding forward and delicately inserting his claws in sabriel鈥檚 slippered foot。
鈥渙w！ what did you鈥斺��
鈥渢here鈥檚 no time to waste sightseeing；鈥�
mogget said。 鈥渢he sendings are readying the paperwing on the eastern wall。 and your clothing and gear have been ready for at least half an hour。鈥�
鈥渋鈥檝e got all 。 。 。鈥潯abriel began； then she remembered that her pack and skis lay at the bottom end of the entrance tunnel； probably as a pile of mordicant…burned ash。
鈥渢he sendings have got everything you鈥檒l need； and a few things you won鈥檛； knowing them。
you can get dressed； pack up； and head off for belisaere。 i take it you intend to go to belisaere？鈥�
鈥測es；鈥潯eplied sabriel shortly。 she could detect a tone of smugness in mogget鈥檚 voice。
鈥渄o you know how to get there？鈥�
sabriel was silent。 mogget already knew the answer was 鈥渘o。鈥潯ence the smugness。
鈥渄o you have a 。 。 。 er 。 。 。 map？鈥�
sabriel shook her head； clenching her fists as she did so； resisting the urge to lean forward and spank mogget； or perhaps give his tail a judicious tug。 she had searched the study and asked several of the sendings； but the only map in the house seemed to be the starmap in the tower。 the map colonel horyse had told her about must still be with abhorsen。 with father； sabriel thought； suddenly confused about their identities。 if she was now abhorsen； who was her father？ had he too once had a name that was lost in the responsibility of being abhorsen？ everything that had seemed so certain and solid in her life a few days ago was crumbling。 she didn鈥檛 even know who she was really； and trouble seemed to beset her from all sides鈥攅ven a supposed servant of abhorsen like mogget