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ne。 “now i am afraid—even for a great city that i never believed could really change。”
“no imagination；” said mogget； sternly。 “no thinking ahead。 a flaw in your character。 a fatal flaw。”
“mogget；” sabriel said indignantly； angry at the cat for crushing yet another possible conversation。
“why are you so rude to touchstone？”
mogget hissed and the fur bristled on his back。
“i am accurate； not rude；” he snapped； turning his back to them with studied scorn。 “and he deserves it。”
“i’m sick of this！” announced sabriel。 “touchstone； what does mogget know that i don’t？”
touchstone was silent； knuckles white on the tiller； eyes focused on the distant horizon； as if he could already see the towers of belisaere。
“you’ll have to tell me eventually；” said sabriel； a touch of the prefect entering her voice。
“it can’t be that bad； surely？”
touchstone wet his lips； hesitated； then spoke。
“it was stupidity on my part； not evil； milady。
two hundred years ago； when the last queen reigned 。 。 。 i think 。 。 。 i know that i am partly responsible for the failing of the kingdom； the end of the royal line。”
“what！” exclaimed sabriel。 “how could you be？”
“i am；” continued touchstone miserably； his hands shaking so much the tiller moved； giving the boat a crazy zigzag wake。 “there was a 。 。 。
that is 。 。 。”
he paused； took a deep breath； sat up a little straighter； and continued； as if reporting to a senior officer。
“i don’t know how much i can tell you； because it involves the great charters。 where do i start？ with the queen； i guess。 she had four children。 her oldest son； rogir； was a childhood playmate of mine。 he was always the leader； in all our games。 he had the ideas—we followed them。 later； when we were growing up； his ideas became stranger； less nice。 we grew apart。 i went into the guard； he pursued his own interests。 now i know that those interests must have included free magic and necromancy— i never suspected it then。 i should have； i know； but he was secretive； and often away。
“towards the end 。 。 。 i mean a few months before it happened 。 。 。 well； rogir had been away for several years。 he came back； just before the midwinter festival。 i was glad to see him； for he seemed to be more like he was as a child。 he’d lost interest in the bizarrities that had attracted him。 we spent more time together again； hawking； riding； drinking； dancing。
“then； late one afternoon—one cold； crisp afternoon； near sunset—i was on duty； guarding the queen and her ladies。 they were playing cranaque。 rogir came to her； and asked her to e with him down to the place where the great stones are 。 。 。 hey； i can say it！”
“yes；” interrupted mogget。 he looked tired； like an alley cat that has suffered one kick too many。 “the sea washes all things clear； for a time。
we can speak of the great charters； at least for a little while。 i had forgotten it was so。”
“go on；” said sabriel； excitedly。 “let’s take advantage of it while we can。 the great stones would be the stones and mortar of the rhyme— the third and fifth great charter？”
“yes；” replied touchstone； remotely； as if reciting a lesson； “with the wall。 the people； or whatever they were who made the great charters； put three in bloodlines and two in physical constructions： the wall and the great stones。 all the lesser stones draw their power from one or the other。
“the great stones 。 。 。 rogir came and said there was something amiss there； something the queen must look into。 he was her son； but she did not take great account of his wisdom； or believe him when he spoke of trouble with the stones。 she was a charter mage and felt nothing wrong。 besides； she was winning at cranaque； so she told him to wait till morning。 rogir turned to me； asked me to intercede； and； charter help me； i did。 i believed rogir。 i trusted him and my belief convinced the queen。 finally； she agreed。
by that time； the sun had set。 with rogir； myself； three guards and two ladies…in…waiting； we went down； down into the reservoir where the great stones are。”
touchstone’s voice faded to a whisper as he continued； and grew hoarse。
“there was terrible wrong down there； but it was rogir’s doing； not his discovery。 there are six great stones and two were just being broken； broken with the blood of his own sisters； sacrificed by his free magic minions as we approached。 i saw their last seconds； the faint hope in their clouding eyes； as the queen’s barge came floating across the water。 i felt the shock of the stones breaking and i remember rogir； stepping up behind the queen； a saw…edged dagger striking so swiftly across her throat。 he had a cup； a golden cup； one of the queen’s own； to catch the blood； but i was too slow； too slow 。 。 。”
“so the story you told me at holehallow wasn’t true；” sabriel whispered； as touchstone’s voice cracked and faded； and the tears rolled down his face。 “the queen didn’t survive 。 。 。”
“no；” mumbled touchstone。 “but i didn’t mean to lie。 it was all jumbled up in my head。”
“what did happen？”
“the other two guards were rogir’s men；”
touchstone continued； his voice wet with tears； muffled with sorrow。 “they attacked me； but vlare—one of the ladies…in…waiting—threw herself across them。 i went mad； battle…mad； berserk。 i killed both guards。 rogir had jumped from the barge and was wading to the stones； holding the cup。 his four sorcerers were waiting； dark…cowled； around the third stone； the next to be broken。 i couldn’t reach him in time； i knew。 i threw my sword。 it flew straight and true； taking him just above the heart。 he screamed； the echo going on and on and he turned back towards me！ transfixed by my sword； but still walking； holding that vile cup of blood up； as if offering me a drink。
“‘you may tear this body；’ he said； as he walked。 ‘rip it； like some poor…made costume。
but i cannot die。’ “he came within an arm’s length of me； and i could only look into his face； look at the evil that lay so close behind those familiar features 。 。 。
then there was blinding white light； the sound of bells—bells like yours； sabriel—an