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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 back from the windows； shadows darker than ones ever cast by light whirled in frustration； anger鈥攁nd fear。 they all knew who had passed。
one such shadow； selected by lot and pelled by its peers； gave up its existence in life with a silent scream； vanishing into death。 their master was many； many leagues away； and the quickest way to reach him lay in death。 of course； message delivered； the messenger would fall through the gates to a final demise。 but the master didn鈥檛 care about that。
the gap in the breakwater proved to be at least fifteen feet wide； and the water was twice sabriel鈥檚 height； the sea surging through with a rough aggression。 it was also covered by archers from the island； as they discovered when an arrow struck the stones in front of them and skittered off into the sea。
instantly； touchstone rushed in front of sabriel； and she felt the flow of charter magic from him； his swords sketching a great circle in the air in front of them both。 glowing lines followed the swords鈥櫋ath； till a shining circle hung in the air。
four arrows curved through the air from the island。 one； striking the circle； simply vanished。
the other three missed pletely； striking stones or sea。
鈥渁rrow ward；鈥潯asped touchstone。 鈥渆ffective； but hard to keep going。 do we retreat？鈥�
鈥渘ot yet；鈥潯eplied sabriel。 she could feel the dead stirring in the village behind them and she could also see the archers now。 there were four of them； two pairs； each behind one of the large； upthrust stones that marked where the breakwater joined the island。 they looked young； nervous and were already proven to be of little threat。
鈥渉old！鈥潯houted sabriel。 鈥渨e are friends！鈥�
there was no reply； but the archers didn鈥檛 loose their nocked arrows。
鈥渨hat鈥檚 the village leader鈥檚 title鈥攗sually； i mean？ what are they called？鈥潯abriel whispered hurriedly to touchstone； once again wishing she knew more about the old kingdom and its customs。
鈥渋n my day 。 。 。鈥潯ouchstone replied slowly； his swords retracing the arrow ward； attention mostly on that； 鈥渋n my day鈥攅lder鈥攆or this size of village。鈥�
鈥渨e wish to speak with your elder！鈥潯houted sabriel。 she pointed at the cloud…front advancing behind her； and added； 鈥渂efore darkness falls！鈥�
鈥渨ait！鈥潯ame the answer； and one of the archers scampered back from the rocks； up towards the buildings。 closer to； sabriel realized they were probably boathouses or something like that。
the archer returned in a few minutes； an older man hobbling over the rocks behind him。 the other three archers； seeing him； lowered their bows and returned shafts to quivers。 touchstone； seeing this； ceased to maintain the arrow ward。 it hung in the air for a moment； then dissipated； leaving a momentary rainbow。
the elder was named in fact； as well as title； they saw； as he limped along the breakwater。 long white hair blew like fragile cobwebs around his thin； wrinkled face； and he moved with the deliberate intention of the very old。 he seemed unafraid； perhaps possessed of the disinterested courage of one already close to death。
鈥渨ho are you？鈥潯e asked； when he reached the gap； standing above the swirling waters like some prophet of legend； his deep orange cloak flapping around him from the rising breeze。
鈥渨hat do you want？鈥�
sabriel opened her mouth to answer； but touchstone had already started to speak。 loudly。
鈥渋 am touchstone； sworn swordsman for the abhorsen； who stands before you。 are arrows your wele for such folk as we？鈥�
the old man was silent for a moment； his deep…set eyes focused on sabriel； as if he could strip away any falsity or illusion by sight alone。
sabriel met his gaze； but out of the corner of her mouth she whispered to touchstone。
鈥渨hat makes you think you can speak for me？ wouldn鈥檛 a friendly approach be better？ and since when are you my sworn鈥斺��
she stopped； as the old man cleared his throat to speak and spat into the water。 for a moment； she thought that this was his response； but as neither the archers nor touchstone reacted； it was obviously of no account。
鈥渢hese are bad times；鈥潯he elder said。 鈥渨e have been forced to leave our firesides for the smoking sheds； warmth and fort for seawinds and the stench of fish。 many of the people of nestowe are dead鈥攐r worse。 strangers and travelers are rare in such times； and not always what they seem。鈥�
鈥渋 am the abhorsen；鈥潯abriel said； reluctantly。
鈥渆nemy of the dead。鈥�
鈥渋 remember；鈥潯eplied the old man； slowly。
鈥渁bhorsen came here when i was a young man。 he came to put down the haunts that the spice merchant brought； charter curse him。
abhorsen。 i remember that coat you鈥檙e wearing； blue as a ten…fathom sea； with the silver keys。 there was a sword； also 。 。 。鈥�
he paused； expectantly。 sabriel stood； silently； waiting for him to go on。
鈥渉e wants to see the sword；鈥潯ouchstone said； voice flat； after the silence stretched too far。
鈥渙h；鈥潯eplied sabriel； flushing。
it was quite obvious。 carefully； so as not to alarm the archers； she drew her sword； holding it up to the sun； so the charter marks could clearly be seen； silver dancers on the blade。
鈥測es；鈥潯ighed the elder； old shoulders sagging with relief。 鈥渢hat is the sword。 charter…spelled。
she is the abhorsen。鈥�
he turned and tottered back towards the archers； worn voice increasing to the ghost of a fisherman鈥檚 cross…water hail。 鈥渆 on； you four。 quick with the bridge。 we have visitors！ help at last！鈥�
sabriel glanced at touchstone； raising her eyebrows at the implication of the old man鈥檚 last three words。 surprisingly； touchstone met her gaze； and held it。
鈥渋t is traditional for someone of high rank； such as yourself； to be announced by their sworn swordsman；鈥潯e said quietly。 鈥渁nd the only acceptable way for me to travel with you is as your sworn swordsman。 otherwise； people will assume that we are； at best； illicit lovers。 having your name coupled to mine in such a guise would lower you in most eyes。 you see？鈥�
鈥渁h；鈥潯