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“in your day；” interrupted mogget； from his favorite post on the bow。 “but this is now； and i am sure that necromancers and worse are not unmon sights in belisaere。”
“i’ll wear a cloak—” sabriel started to say。
“if you say so；” touchstone said； at the same time。 clearly； he didn’t believe the cat。 belisaere was the royal capital； a huge city； home to at least fifty thousand people。 touchstone couldn’t imagine it fallen； decayed and in the hands of the dead。 despite his own inner fears and secret knowledge； he couldn’t help but be confident that the belisaere they were sailing towards would be little different from the two…hundredyear… old images locked in his memory。
that confidence took a blow as the belis mouth towers became visible above the blue line of the horizon； on opposite shores of the strait。
at first； the towers were no more than dark smudges； that grew taller as wind and wave carried the boat towards them。 through her telescope； sabriel saw that they were made from a beautiful； rosy…pink stone that once must have been magnificent。 now they were largely blackened by fire； their majesty vanished。 winding post had lost the top three storys； from seven； boom hook stood as tall as ever； but sunlight shone through gaping holes； showing the interior to be a gutted ruin。 there was no sign of any garrison； toll collector； windlass mules； or anything alive。
the great boom…chain still stretched across the strait。 huge iron links； each as wide and long as the fishing boat； rose green and barnaclebefouled out of the water and up into each of the towers。 glimpses of it could be seen in the middle of the mouth； when the swell dipped； and a length of chain shone slick and green in the wave trough； like some lurking monster of the deep。
“we’ll have to go in close to the winding post tower； unstep the mast and row under the chain where it rises；” touchstone declared； after studying the chain for several minutes through the telescope； trying to gauge whether it had sunk enough to allow them passage。 but even with their relatively shallow…draft boat； it would be too risky； and they daren’t wait for high tide； late in the afternoon。 at some time in the past； perhaps when the towers were abandoned； the chain had been winched up to its maximum tension。 the engineers who’d made it would have been pleased； for there seemed to be no noticeable slippage。
“mogget； go to the bow and keep a lookout for anything in the water。 sabriel； could you please watch the shore and the tower； to guard against attack。”
sabriel nodded； pleased that touchstone’s stint as captain of their small vessel had done a lot to remove the servant nonsense out of him and make him more like a normal person。 mogget； for his part； jumped up to the bow without protest； despite the spray that occasionally burst over his head as they cut diagonally across the swell—towards the small triangle of opportunity between shore； sea and chain。
they came in as close as they dared before unstepping the mast。 the swell had diminished； for the belis mouth was well…sheltered by the two arms of land； but the tide had turned； and a tidal race was beginning to run from the ocean to the saere sea。 so； even without mast and sail； they were borne rapidly towards the chain； touchstone rowing with all his strength just to keep steerage way。 after a moment； this clearly became impossible； so sabriel took one of the oars； and they rowed together； with mogget yowling directions。
every few seconds； at the end of a full stroke； her back nearly level with the thwarts； sabriel snatched a glimpse over her shoulder。 they were headed for the narrow passage； between the high but crumbling seawall of winding post； and the enormous chain rising out of the swift…flowing sea in a swath of white froth。 she could hear the melancholy groaning of the links； like a chorus of pained walruses。 even that gargantuan chain moved at the sea’s whim。
“port a little；” yowled mogget。 touchstone backed his oar for a moment； then the cat jumped down； yelling； “ship oars and duck！”
the oars came rattling； splashing in； both sabriel and touchstone simply lying down on their backs； with mogget somewhere between them。 the boat rocked and plunged； and the groan of the chain sounded close and terrible。
sabriel； one moment looking up at the clear； blue sky； in the next saw nothing but green； weedstrewn iron above her。 when the swell lifted the boat up； she could have reached out and touched the great boom…chain of belis mouth。
then they were past； and touchstone was already pushing out his oar； mogget moving to the bow。 sabriel wanted to lie there； just looking up at the sky； but the collapsed seawall of winding post was no more than an oar…length away。 she sat up and resumed her duty as a rower。
the water changed color in the sea of saere。
sabriel trailed her hand in it； marveling at its clear turquoise sheen。 for all its color； it was incredibly transparent。 the water was very deep； but she could see down the first three or four fathoms； watching small fish dance under the bubbles of their boat’s wake。
she felt relaxed； momentarily carefree； all the troubles that lay ahead and behind her temporarily lost in single…minded contemplation of the clear blue…green water。 there was no dead presence here； no constant awareness of the many doors to death。 even charter magic was dissipated at sea。 for a few minutes； she forgot about touchstone and mogget。 even her father faded from her mind。 there was only the sea’s color； and its coolness on her hand。
“we’ll be able to see the city soon；” touchstone said； interrupting her mental holiday。 “if the towers are still standing。”
sabriel nodded thoughtfully； and slowly took her hand from the sea； as if she were parting from a dear friend。
“it must be difficult for you；” she said； almost to herself； not really expecting him to answer。
“two hundred years gone； the kingdom slowly falling into ruin while you slept。”
“i didn’t really believe it； till i saw nestowe； and then the belis mouth towers；” replied touchstone。 “now i am afraid—even for a great city that i never believed could real