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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 seemed to provide more trouble than service。
鈥渄o you have anything positive to say鈥攁nything that might actually help？鈥潯he snapped。
mogget yawned； showing a pink tongue that seemed to contain the very essence of scorn。
鈥渨ell； yes。 of course。 i know the way； so i鈥檇 better e with you。鈥�
鈥渆 with me？鈥潯abriel asked； genuinely surprised。 she unclenched her fists； bent down； and scratched between the cat鈥檚 ears； till he ducked away。
鈥渟omeone has to look after you；鈥潯ogget added。 鈥渁t least till you鈥檝e grown into a real abhorsen。鈥�
鈥渢hank you；鈥潯aid sabriel。 鈥渋 think。 but i would still like a map。 since you know the country so well； would it be possible for you to鈥攊 don鈥檛 know鈥攄escribe it； so i can make a sketch map or something？鈥�
mogget coughed； as if a hairball had suddenly lodged in his throat； and thrust his head back a little。 鈥測ou！ draw a sketch map？ if you must have one； i think it would be better if i undertook the cartography myself。 e down to the study and put out an inkwell and paper。鈥�
鈥渁s long as i get a useable map i don鈥檛 care who draws it；鈥潯abriel remarked； as she went backwards down the ladder。 she tilted her head to watch how mogget came down； but there was only the open trapdoor。 a sarcastic meow under her feet announced that mogget had once again managed to get between rooms without visible means of support。
鈥渋nk and paper；鈥潯he cat reminded her； jumping up onto the dragon desk。 鈥渢he thick paper。
smooth side up。 don鈥檛 bother with a quill。鈥�
sabriel followed mogget鈥檚 instructions； then watched with a resigned condescension that rapidly changed to surprise as the cat crouched by the square of paper； his strange shadow falling on it like a dark cloak thrown across sand； pink tongue out in concentration。 mogget seemed to think for a moment； then one bright ivory claw shot out from a white pad鈥攈e delicately inked the claw in the inkwell； and began to draw。 first； a rough outline； in swift； bold strokes； the penning in of the major geographical features； then the delicate process of adding important sites； each named in fine； spidery writing。 last of all； mogget marked abhorsen鈥檚 house with a small illustration； before leaning back to admire his handiwork； and lick the ink from his paw。 sabriel waited a few seconds to be sure he was done； then cast drying sand over the paper； her eyes trying to absorb every detail； intent on learning the physical face of the old kingdom。
鈥測ou can look at it later；鈥潯ogget said after a few minutes； when his paw was clean； but sabriel was still bent over the table； nose inches from the map。 鈥渨e鈥檙e still in a hurry。 you鈥檇 better go and get dressed； for a start。 do try to be quick。鈥�
鈥渋 will。鈥潯abriel smiled； still looking at the map。 鈥渢hank you； mogget。鈥�
the sendings had laid out a great pile of clothes and equipment in sabriel鈥檚 room； and four of them were in attendance to help her get everything on and organized。 she had hardly stepped inside before they鈥檇 stripped her indoor dress and slippers off； and she鈥檇