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but he wasn鈥檛 in the fourth precinct。 sabriel reached the fourth gate without feeling any intensification of his presence。 this gate was another waterfall； of sorts； but it wasn鈥檛 cloaked in mist。 it looked like the easy drop of water from a small weir； a matter of only two or three feet down。 but sabriel knew that if you approached the edge there was more than enough force to drag the strongest spirit down。
she halted well back； and was about to launch into the spell that would conjure her path； when a niggling sensation at the back of her head made her stop and look around。
the waterfall stretched as far as she could see to either side； and sabriel knew that if she was foolish enough to try and walk its length； it would be an unending journey。 perhaps it eventually looped back on itself； but as there were no landmarks； stars or anything else to fix one鈥檚 position； you鈥檇 never know。 no one ever walked the breadth of an inner precinct or gate。
what would be the point？ everyone went into death or out of it。 not sideways； save at the border with life； where walking along altered where you came out鈥攂ut that was only useful for spirit…forms； or rare beings like the mordicant； who took their physical shape with them。
nevertheless； sabriel felt an urge to walk along next to the gate； to turn on her heel and follow the line of the waterfall。 it was an unidentifiable urge； and that made her uneasy。 there were other things in death than the dead鈥攊nexplicable beings of free magic； strange constructs and inprehensible forces。 this urge鈥攖his calling鈥敗ight e from one of them。
she hesitated； thinking about it； then pushed out into the water； heading out parallel to the waterfall。 it might be some free magic summoning； or it might be some connection with her father鈥檚 spirit。
鈥渢hey鈥檙e ing down the east and west stairs； too；鈥潯aid mogget。 鈥渕ore hands。鈥�
鈥渨hat about the south鈥攚here we came in？鈥�
asked touchstone； looking nervously from side to side； ears straining to hear every sound； listening to the dead wading out into the reservoir to form up in their strange； regimented lines。
鈥渘ot yet；鈥潯eplied mogget。 鈥渢hat stair ends in sunlight； remember？ they鈥檇 have to go through the park。鈥�
鈥渢here can鈥檛 be much sunlight；鈥潯uttered touchstone； looking at the light…shafts。 some sunshine was ing through； heavily filtered by clouds； but it wasn鈥檛 enough to cause the dead in the reservoir any distress； or lift touchstone鈥檚 spirits。
鈥渨hen 。 。 。 when do you think he will e？鈥�
asked touchstone。 mogget didn鈥檛 need to ask who 鈥渉e鈥潯as。
鈥渟oon；鈥潯eplied the cat； in a matter…of…fact tone。
鈥渋 always said it was a trap。鈥�
鈥渟o how do we get out of it？鈥潯sked touchstone； trying to keep his voice steady。 he was inwardly fighting a strong desire to leave the diamond of protection and run for the southern stair； splashing through the reservoir like a runaway horse； careless of the noise鈥攂ut there was sabriel； frosted over； immobile 。 。 。
鈥渋鈥檓 not sure we can；鈥潯aid mogget； with a sideways glance at the two ice…rimmed statues nearby。 鈥渋t depends on sabriel and her father。鈥�
鈥渨hat can we do？鈥�
鈥渄efend ourselves if we鈥檙e attacked； i suppose；鈥�
drawled mogget； as if stating the obvious to a tiresome child。 鈥渉ope。 pray to the charter that kerrigor doesn鈥檛 e before sabriel returns。鈥�
鈥渨hat if he does？鈥潯sked touchstone； staring white…eyed out into the darkness。 鈥渨hat if he does？鈥�
but mogget was silent。 all touchstone heard was the shuffling； wading； splashing of the dead； as they slowly drew closer； like starving rats creeping up to a sleeping drunk鈥檚 dinner。
sabriel had no idea of how far she鈥檇 gone before she found him。 that same niggling sensation prompted her to stop； to look out into the waterfall itself； and there he was。 abhorsen。 father。
somehow imprisoned within the gate itself； so only his head was visible above the rush of the water。
鈥渇ather！鈥潯ried sabriel； but she resisted the urge to rush forward。 at first； she thought he was unaware of her； then a slight wink of one eye showed conscious perception。 he winked again； and moved his eyeballs to the right； several times。
sabriel followed his gaze； and saw something tall and shadowy thrust up through the waterfall； arms reaching up to pull itself out of the gate。 she stepped forward； sword and bell at the ready； then hesitated。 it was a dead humanoid； very similar in shape and size to the one who had brought the bells and sword to wyverley college。 she looked back at her father； and he winked again； the corner of his mouth curving up ever so slightly鈥攁lmost a smile。
she stepped back； still cautious。 there was always the chance that the spirit chained in the waterfall was merely the mimic of her father； or； even if it was him； that he was under the sway of some power。
the dead creature finally hauled itself out； muscles differently arranged to a human鈥檚 visibly straining along the forearms。 it stood on the rim for a moment； bulky head questing from side to side； then lumbered towards sabriel with that familiar rolling gait。 several paces away from her鈥攐ut of sword鈥檚 reach鈥攊t stopped； and pointed at its mouth。 its jaw worked up and down； but no sound issued from its red and fleshy mouth。 a black thread ran from its back； down into the rushing waters of the gate。
sabriel thought for a moment； then replaced saraneth； one…handed； and drew dyrim。 she cocked her wrist to ring the bell； hesitated鈥攆or to sound dyrim would alert the dead all around鈥攖hen let it fall。 dyrim rang； sweet and clear； several notes sounding from that one peal； mixing together like many conversations overheard in a crowd。
sabriel rang the bell again before the echoes died； in a series of slight wrist…twitches； moving the sound out towards the dead creature； weaving into the echoes of the first peal。 sound seemed to envelope the monster； circling around its head and muted mouth。
the echoes faded。 sabriel replaced dyrim quickly； before it could try and sound of its own accord； and drew ranna。 the sleeper could quell a large number of dead at once； and she feared many would e to the sound of the bells。
they would probably expect to find a foolish； half…trained necromancer； but even so； they would be dangerous。 ranna twitched in her hand； expectantly； like a child waking at her touch。
the creature鈥檚 mouth moved again； and now it had a tongue； a horrid pulpy mess of white flesh that writhed like a slug。 but it worked。 the thing made several gurgling； swallowing sounds； then it spoke with the voice of abhorsen。
鈥渟abriel！ i both hoped and feared you would e。鈥�
鈥渇ather 。 。 。鈥潯abriel began； looking at his trapped spirit rather than the creature。
鈥渇ather 。 。 。鈥�
she broke down； and started to cry。 she had e all this way； through so many troubles； only to find him trapped； trapped beyond her ability to free him。 she hadn鈥檛 even known that it was possible to imprison someone within a gate！ 鈥渟abriel！ hush； daughter！ we have no time for tears。 where is your physical body？鈥�
鈥渋n the reservoir；鈥潯niffed sabriel。 鈥渘ext to yours。 inside a diamond of protection。鈥�
鈥渁nd the dead？ kerrigor？鈥�
鈥渢here was no sign of them there； but kerrigor is somewhere in life。 i don鈥檛 know where。鈥�
鈥測es； i knew he had emerged；鈥潯uttered abhorsen； via the thing鈥檚 mouth。 鈥渉e will be near the reservoir； i fear。 we must move quickly。
sabriel； do you remember how to ring two bells simultaneously？ mosrael and kibeth？鈥�
鈥渢wo bells？鈥潯sked sabriel； puzzled。 waker and walker？ at the same time？ she had never even heard it was possible鈥攐r had she？ 鈥渢hink；鈥潯aid abhorsen鈥檚 mouthpiece。 鈥渞emember。
the book of the dead。鈥�
slowly； it came back； pages floating down into conscious memory； like leaves from a shaken tree。 the bells could be rung in pairs； or even greater binations； if enough necromancers were gathered to wield the bells。 but the risks were much greater 。 。 。
鈥測es；鈥潯aid sabriel； slowly。 鈥渋 remember。
mosrael and kibeth。 will they free you？鈥�
the answer was slow in ing。
鈥測es。 for a time。 enough； i hope； to do what must be done。 quickly； now。鈥�
sabriel nodded； trying not to think about what he had just said。 subconsciously； she had always been aware that abhorsen鈥檚 spirit had been too long from his body； and too deep in the realm of death。 he could never truly live again。
consciously； she chose to barricade this knowledge from her mind。
she sheathed her sword； replaced ranna； and drew mosrael and kibeth。 dangerous bells； both； and more so in bination than alone。
she stilled her mind； emptying herself of all thought and emotion； concentrating solely on the bells。 then； she rang them。
mosrael she swung in a three…quarter circle above her head； kibeth she swung in a reverse figure eight。 harsh alarm joined with dancing jig； merging into a discordant； grating； but energetic tone。 sabriel found herself walking towards the waterfall； despite all her efforts to keep still。 a force like the grip of a demented giant moved her legs； bent her knees； made her ste