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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 land else to fix one’s position, you’d 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--but that was only use-ful for spirit-fors like the Mordicant, who took their physical shape with the next to the Gate, to turn on her heel and follow the line of the waterfall It was an unidentifiable urge, and that s in Death than the Dead--inexplicable beings of Free Magic, strange constructs and incoht co about it, then pushed out into the water, heading out parallel to the waterfall It ht be so down the east and west stairs, too," said Mogget "More Hands"

"What about the south--where we ca nervously fro to the Dead wading out into the reservoir to foriet "That stair ends in sunlight, reh the park"

"There can’t be ht-shafts Soh, heavily filtered by clouds, but it wasn’t enough to cause the Dead in the reservoir any distress, or lift Touchstone’s spirits

"Whenwhen do you think he will coet didn’t need to ask who "he" was

"Soon," replied the cat, in a matter-of-fact tone "I always said it was a trap"

"So hoe get out of it?" asked Touchstone, trying to keep his voice steady He was inwardly fighting a strong desire to leave the dia through the reservoir like a runaway horse, careless of the noise--but there was Sabriel, frosted over, iet, with a sideways glance at the two ice-rimmed statues nearby "It depends on Sabriel and her father"

"What can we do?"

"Defend ourselves if we’re attacked, I suppose," drawled Mogget, as if stating the obvious to a tiresoor doesn’t come before Sabriel returns"

"What if he does?" asked Touchstone, staring white-eyed out into the darkness "What if he does?"

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’s dinner

Sabriel had no idea of how far she’d gone before she found hi 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

"Father!" cried 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 ht, several ti tall and shadowy thrust up through the waterfall, arate She stepped forward, sword and bell at the ready, then hesitated It was a Dead humanoid, very siht the bells and sword to Wyverley College She looked back at her father, and he winked again, the corner of his htly--almost 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,along the forear from side to side, then luait Several paces away from her--out of sword’s reach--it stopped, and pointed at its mouth Its jaorked up and down, but no sound issued from its red and fleshywaters of the Gate

Sabriel thought for a moment, then replaced Saraneth, one-handed, and drew Dyri the bell, hesitated--for to sound Dyrim would alert the Dead all around--then let it fall Dyri froether likethe bell again before the echoes died, in a series of slight wrist-twitches,into the echoes of the first peal Sound see 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 come to the sound of the bells They would probably expect to find a foolish, half-trained necroerous Ranna twitched in her hand, expectantly, like a child waking at her touch

The creature’s ue, a horrid pulpyBut it worked The thingsounds, then it spoke with the voice of Abhorsen

"Sabriel! I both hoped and feared you would co at his trapped spirit rather than the creature "Father"

She broke down, and started to cry She had coh so many troubles, only to find him trapped, trapped beyond her ability to free him She hadn’t even known that it was possible to ihter! We have no time for tears Where is your physical body?"

"In the reservoir," sniffed Sabriel "Next to yours Inside a diaor?"

"There was no sign of theor is somewhere in Life I don’t knohere"

"Yes, I knew he had e’s mouth "He will be near the reservoir, I fear Wetwo bells simultaneously? Mosrael and Kibeth?"