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there was also a group of other people ahead of sabriel and touchstone waiting to be let through。 nine men； all with the marks of violence written in their expressions； in the way they spoke and moved。 every one was armed； with weapons ranging from daggers to a broad…bladed axe。 most of them also carried bows鈥攕hort； deeply curved bows； slung on their backs。
鈥渨ho are these people？鈥潯abriel asked touchstone。 鈥渨hy are they going out into the dead part of the city？鈥�
鈥渟cavengers；鈥潯eplied touchstone。 鈥渟ome of the people i spoke to last night mentioned them。
parts of the city were abandoned to the dead very quickly； so there is still plenty of loot to be found。 a risky business； i think 。 。 。鈥�
sabriel nodded thoughtfully and looked back at the men； most of whom were sitting or squatting by the aqueduct wall。 some of them looked back at her； rather suspiciously。 for a moment； she thought they鈥檇 seen the bells under her cloak and recognized her as a necromancer； then she realized that she and touchstone probably looked like rival scavengers。 after all； who else would want to leave the protection of swift water？ she felt a bit like a hard…bitten scavenger。 even freshly cleaned and scrubbed； her clothes and armor were not the sweetest items of wear。 they were also still slightly damp； and the boat cloak that covered her up was on the borderline between damp and wet； because it hadn鈥檛 been hung up properly after washing。 on the positive side； everything had the scent of lemon； for the sign of three lemons washerfolk used lemon…scented soap。
sabriel thought the scavengers had been waiting for the guards； but clearly they had been waiting for something else； which they鈥檇 suddenly sighted behind her。 the sitting or squatting men picked themselves up； grumbling and cursing； and shuffled together into something resembling a line。
sabriel looked over her shoulder to see what they saw鈥攁nd froze。 for ing towards the arch were two men； and about twenty children； children of all ages between six and sixteen。 the men had the same look as the other scavengers； and carried long； four…tongued whips。 the children were manacled at the ankles； the manacles fastened to a long central chain。 one man held the chain； leading the children down the middle of the road。 the other followed behind； plying the air above the small bodies idly with his whip； the four tongues occasionally licking against an ear or the top of a small head。
鈥渋 heard of this too；鈥潯uttered touchstone； moving up closer to sabriel； his hands falling on his sword hilts。 鈥渂ut i thought it was a beer story。 the scavengers use children鈥攕laves鈥攁s decoys； or bait； for the dead。 they leave them in one area； to draw the dead away from where they intend to search。鈥�
鈥渢his is 。 。 。 disgusting！鈥潯aged sabriel。
鈥渋mmoral！ they鈥檙e slavers； not scavengers！ we have to stop it！鈥�
she started forward； mind already forming a charter…spell to blind and confuse the scavengers； but a sharp pain in her neck halted her。
mogget； riding on her shoulders； had dug his claws in just under her chin。 blood trickled down in hairline traces； as he hissed close to her ear。
鈥渨ait！ there are nine scavengers and six guards； with more close by。 what will it profit these children； and all the others who may e； if you are slain？ it is the dead who are at the root of this evil； and abhorsen鈥檚 business is with the dead！鈥�
sabriel stood still； shuddering； tears of rage and anger welling up in the corners of her eyes。 but she didn鈥檛 attack。 just stood； watching the children。
they seemed resigned to their fate； silent； without hope。 they didn鈥檛 even fidget in their chains； standing still； heads bowed； till the scavengers whipped them up again and they broke into a dispirited shuffle towards the archway。
soon； they were beyond the arch； heading up the ruined street； the scavenging team walking slowly behind them。 the sun shone bright on the cobbled street and reflected from armor and weapons鈥攁nd； briefly； from a little boy鈥檚 blond head。 then they were gone； turning right； taking the way towards coiner鈥檚 hill。
sabriel； touchstone and mogget followed after ten minutes spent negotiating with the guards。 at first； the leader； a large man in a gravy…stained leather cuirass； wanted to see an 鈥渙fficial scavenger鈥檚 license；鈥潯ut this was soon translated as a request for bribes。 then it was merely a matter of bargaining； down to the final price of three silver pennies each for sabriel and touchstone； and one for the cat。 strange accounting； sabriel thought； but she was glad mogget stayed silent； not voicing the opinion that he was being undervalued。
past the aqueduct； and the soothing barrier of running water； sabriel felt the immediate presence of the dead。 they were all around； in the ruined houses； in cellars and drains； lurking anywhere the light didn鈥檛 reach。 dormant。 waiting for the night； while the sun shone。
in many ways； the dead of belisaere were direct counterparts of the scavengers。 hiding by day； they took what they could by night。 there were many； many dead in belisaere； but they were weak； cowardly and jealous。 their bined appetite was enormous； but the supply of victims sadly limited。 every morning saw scores of them lose their hold on life； to fall back into death。
but more always came 。 。 。
鈥渢here are thousands of dead here；鈥潯abriel said； eyes darting from side to side。 鈥渢hey鈥檙e weak； for the most part鈥攂ut so many！鈥�
鈥渄o we go straight on to the reservoir？鈥�
touchstone asked。 there was an unspoken question there； sabriel knew。 should they鈥攃ould they鈥攕ave the children first？ she looked at the sky； and the sun； before answering。 they had about four hours of strong sunlight； if no clouds intervened。 little enough time； anyway。 assuming that they could defeat the scavengers； could they leave finding her father till tomorrow？ every day made it less likely his spirit and body could be brought back together。 without him； they couldn鈥檛 defeat kerrigor鈥攁nd kerrigor had to be defeated for them to have any hope of repairing the stones of the great charter鈥敗 anishing the dead across the kingdom 。 。 。
鈥渨e鈥檒l go straight to the reservoir；鈥潯abriel said； heavily； trying to blank out a sudden fragment of visual memory； sunlight on that little boy鈥檚 head； the trudging feet 。 。 。
鈥減erhaps we 。 。 。 perhaps we will be able to rescue the children on the way back。鈥�
touchstone led the way with confidence； keeping to the middle of the streets； where the sun was bright。 for almost an hour； they strode up empty； deserted streets； the only sound the clacking of their boot…nails on the cobbles。 there were no birds； or animals。 not even insects。 just ruin and decay。
finally； they reached an iron…fenced park that ran around the base of palace hill。 atop the hill； blackened； burnt…out shells of tumbled stone and timber were all that remained of the royal palace。
鈥渢he last regent burned it；鈥潯aid mogget； as all three stopped to look up。 鈥渁bout twenty years ago。 it was being infested with the dead； despite all the guards and wards that various visiting abhorsens put up。 they say the regent went mad and tried to burn them out。鈥�
鈥渨hat happened to him？鈥潯sked sabriel。
鈥渉er； actually；鈥潯eplied mogget。 鈥渟he died in the fire鈥攐r the dead took her。 and that marked the end of any attempt at governing the kingdom。鈥�
鈥渋t was a beautiful building；鈥潯ouchstone reminisced。 鈥測ou could see out over the saere。 it had high ceilings； and a clever system of vents and shafts to catch the light and the sea breeze。
there was always music and dancing somewhere in the palace； and midsummer dinner on the garden roof； with a thousand scented candles burning 。 。 。鈥�
he sighed； and pointed at a hole in the park fence。
鈥渨e might as well go through here。 there鈥檚 an entrance to the reservoir in one of the ornamental caves in the park。 only fifty steps down to the water； rather than the hundred and fifty from the palace proper。鈥�
鈥渙ne hundred and fifty…six；鈥潯aid mogget。 鈥渁s i recall。鈥�
touchstone shrugged； and climbed through the hole； onto the springy turf of the park。 there was no one鈥攁nd no thing鈥攊n sight； but he drew his swords anyway。 there were large trees nearby； and accordingly； shadows。
sabriel followed； mogget jumping down from her shoulders to saunter forward and sniff the air。
sabriel drew her sword too； but left the bells。
there were dead about； but none close。 the park was too open in daylight。
the ornamental caves were only five minutes鈥櫋alk away； past a fetid pond that had once boasted seven water…spouting statues of bearded tritons。 now their mouths were clogged with rotten leaves； and the pond was almost solid with yellow…green slime。
there were three cave entrances； side by side。
touchstone led them to the largest； central entrance。 marble steps led down the first three or four feet； and marble pillars supported the entrance ceiling。
鈥渋t only goes back about forty paces into the hill；鈥潯ouchstone explained； as they lit their candles by the entrance； sulphur matches adding their own noisome stench to