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she got the map out of the special pocket in the pack and removed the protective oilskin。
touchstone took one end as she unrolled it； and weighted his two corners with stones； while sabriel secured hers with the telescope case。
“i think we’re about here；” she said； tracing her finger from abhorsen’s house； following the paperwing’s flight from there to a point a little north of the ratterlin river delta。
“no；” said touchstone； sounding decisive for the first time； his finger stabbing the map an inch to the north of sabriel’s own。 “this is holehallow； here。 it’s only ten leagues from the coast and at the same latitude as mount anarson。”
“good！” exclaimed sabriel； smiling； her anger slipping from her。 “you do remember。 now； what’s the best route to belisaere； and how long will it take？”
“i don’t know the current conditions； mi 。 。 。
sabriel；” touchstone replied。 his voice grew softer； more subdued。 “from what mogget says； the kingdom is in a state of anarchy。 towns and villages may no longer exist。 there will be bandits； the dead； free magic unbound； fell creatures 。 。 。”
“ignoring all that；” sabriel asked； “which way did you normally go？”
“from nestowe； the fishing village here；”
touchstone said； pointing at the coast to the east of holehallow。 “we’d ride north along the shoreway； changing horses at post houses。 four days to callibe； a rest day there。 then the interior road up through oncet pass； six days all told to aunden。 a rest day in aunden； then four days to orchyre。 from there； it would be a day’s ferry passage； or two days’ riding； to the westgate of belisaere。”
“even without the rest days； that’d be eighteen days’ riding； at least six weeks’ walking。 that’s too long。 is there any other way？”
“a ship； or boat； from nestowe；” interrupted mogget； stalking up behind sabriel； to place his paw firmly on the map。 “if we can find one and if either of you can sail it。”
chapter xv
：
the stair was to the north of the middle ship of the four。 concealed by both magic and artifice； it seemed to be little more than a particularly wet patch of the damp limestone that formed the sinkhole wall； but you could walk right through it； for it was really an open door with steps winding up behind。
they decided to take these steps the next morning； after another day of rest。 sabriel was eager to move on； for she felt that her father’s peril could only be increasing； but she was realistic enough to assess her own need for recovery time。 touchstone； too； probably needed a rest； she thought。 she’d tried to coax more information out of him while they’d searched for the steps； but he was clearly reluctant to even open his mouth； and when he did； sabriel found his humble apologies ever more irritating。 after the door was found she gave up altogether； and sat in the grass near the spring； reading her father’s books on charter magic。 the book of the dead stayed wrapped in oilskin。 even then； she felt its presence； brooding in her pack 。 。 。
touchstone stayed at the opposite end of the ship； near the bow； performing a series of fencing exercises with his twin swords； and some stretches and minor acrobatics。 mogget watched him from the undergrowth； green eyes glittering； as if intent on a mouse。
lunch was a culinary and conversational failure。
dried beef strips； garnished with watercress from the fringes of the spring； and monosyllabic responses from touchstone。 he even went back to “milady；” despite sabriel’s repeated requests to use her name。 mogget didn’t help by calling her abhorsen。 after lunch； everyone went back to their respective activities。 sabriel to her book； touchstone to his exercises and mogget to his watching。
dinner was not something anyone had looked forward to。 sabriel tried talking to mogget； but he seemed to be infected with touchstone’s reticence； though not with his servility。 as soon as they’d eaten； everyone left the raked…together coals of the campfire—touchstone to the west； mogget north and sabriel east—and went to sleep on as fortable a stretch of ground as could be discovered。
sabriel woke once in the night。 without getting up； she saw that the fire had been rekindled and touchstone sat beside it； staring into the flames； his eyes reflecting the capering； gold…red light。 his face looked drawn； almost ill。
“are you all right？” sabriel asked quietly； propping herself up on one elbow。
touchstone started； rocked back on his heels； and almost fell over。 for once； he didn’t sound like a sulky servant。
“not really。 i remember what i would not； and forget what i should not。 forgive me。”
sabriel didn’t answer。 he had spoken the last two words to the fire； not to her。
“please； go back to sleep； milady；” touchstone continued； slipping back to his servile role。 “i will wake you in the morning。”
sabriel opened her mouth to say something scathing about the arrogance of pretended humility； then shut it； and subsided back under her blanket。 just concentrate on rescuing father； she told herself。 that is the one important thing。
rescue abhorsen。 don’t worry about touchstone’s problems； or mogget’s curious nature。
rescue abhorsen。 rescue abhorsen。 rescue abhors 。 。 。 rescue 。 。 。
“wake up！” mogget said； right in her ear。 she rolled over； ignoring him； but he leapt across her head and repeated it in her other ear。 “wake up！”
“i’m awake；” grumbled sabriel。 she sat up with the blanket wrapped around her； feeling the pre…dawn chill on her face and hands。 it was still extremely dark； save for the uneven light of the fire and the faintest brushings of dawn light above the sinkhole。 touchstone was already making the porridge。 he’d also washed； and shaved—using a dagger from the look of the nicks and cuts on his chin and neck。
“good morning；” he said。 “this will be ready in five minutes； milady。”
sabriel groaned at that word again。 feeling like a shambling； blanket…shrouded excuse for a human being； she picked up her shirt and trousers and staggered off to find a suitable bush en route to the spring。
the icy water of the spring pleted the waking up process withou