She was talking, Sam was sure of it. An endless stream of words poured from her mouth, and yet Sam heard nothing. He watched instead. Her tongue moving and flicking against her teeth, the way she pursed her lips in between sentences to prove a point. He was being told, he knew. It was always something wrong, always something that he didn't do as he was supposed to. Ellimere had a way with words. Of course, her way was rendered useless on Sam after so many years of exposure, but she tried it nonetheless.

"…and I'm surprised he hasn't run out of the castle screaming because of you. Honestly, the tension is tangible in this place! I don't know what you two are so worked up about, but I suggest you clear it up. Soon."

He nodded, just barely, to let her know that he was listening. At any rate, it would change her topic from Nick to something more bearable at the moment.

"Mother and Aunt Lirael got an urgent message this morning, but they won't tell me what it's about. I expect we'll be hearing of it soon, though. Settle your little differences with your friend and let's get on with it, shall we?"

With that, and no more, Ellimere stalked away down the hall, as Sam looked on curiously. Strange, it was, how she was the impressive one. She filled a room when she entered it. He dismissed the thought. He never wanted to rule. She was the one born to it.

Sam swiveled and turned in the direction of his father's study, where the king was surely to be found. To no great surprise, Touchstone was found rifling through various papers on his desk, while two guards stood nearby. Sam entered the room cautiously, treading carefully against the plush carpet that muffled his footsteps. Touchstone noticed him instantly, and gave him a warm smile as he gestured towards an open chair. Sam took it.

"Sameth," said Touchstone with a genuine smile. "What can I do for you?"

Sam paused. Why had he come, anyway? It seemed like the thing to do when he finished his conversation with Ellimere. What was it she had said?

"The message. This morning. Ellimere said Mother got a message. What's going on?"

His father frowned and put down the papers he was holding. With a sigh, he stood, making Sameth exceedingly more uncomfortable.

"Come, Sam. We must have a talk with your mother and your aunt Lirael. Things have been put into motion that need to be reversed. I didn't want to bring you into this, but I'm afraid we don't have a choice. Come. They're in your mother's study."

Their voices reached Sam's ears before they even reached the door. The words weren't quite clear, but their tones said all that was needed. Her mother sounded panicky, worried as she did when she found him wandering too far from the castle grounds. Lirael sounded meek, silent as she was as a child. Something was gravely wrong, and Sam's heart suddenly felt very heavy.

His father knocked twice on the slightly ajar door before pushing it fully open. Sabriel and Lirael were sitting opposite each other in leather armchairs, leaning close with frowns marring both of their faces. Sam had an artistic eye, and reveled for the moment in the symmetry of the sisters. The dark mood quickly won over his musings, but that image stayed with him for the rest of his days.

"Touchstone," Sabriel said, rising. "Sameth. Sit down, both of you. We need to talk this over."

Sam took a seat next to Lirael, facing his mother and father. His skin prickled with nervousness in the close circle, and he fidgeted with his fingers as if he was a small child being told to sit still.

"Sam, we all know what is happening, so this is entirely for your benefit. Your sister doesn't know of this yet, nor in fact does anyone, and I'd like to keep it that way." She gave him a pointed look, and continued, "There's trouble again, Sam. Terrible trouble. It may undo all of the hard work your aunt and I have done since the binding of the Destroyer. It may undo all of the work that every Abhorsen has given their lives to.

"The Wall is crumbling, Sameth."

With a gaping mouth, the bewildered son looked to his mother, father, and aunt. All wore the same somber, hopeless face, and he knew he would find no comfort there.

"What do you mean, 'the Wall is crumbling'? It – That can't happen! It's always been there, hasn't it?"

Sabriel shook her head sadly.

"No, Sam, it hasn't. The problem is, we're not quite sure when it was made, or how. We're not even sure why it's failing now, but we've received word from the Perimeter Command this morning. It started with a few small cracks by the main gates, but now they are seeing them everywhere. Entire sections are threatening to fall apart, and the experienced Mages are reporting Charter Marks flaring to life only to fail within seconds. This is terrible news, Sam. You must understand this. No one knows for sure what will happen should the Wall deteriorate, but it would wreak havoc on the dead in that area, not to mention to border itself. We're not even sure what to do…"

Sabriel trailed off, and leaned her head exasperatedly in her hands. Her husband reached over and rubbed her back, whispering soothing words to comfort her. Sam turned to the Abhorsen-in-Waiting to continue the conversation.

"Okay, I understand. This is serious, and something must be done. So, what are we doing about it?"

Lirael's eyes flickered to his parents, but she answered him quickly and patiently.

"This is where you come in, Sam. You are the only known Wallmaker. We think that you will be able to repair it, somehow."

A nervous laugh bubbled in his throat and broke to the surface before he could stop it.

"Me? Rebuild the Wall? It's – I – I wouldn't even know where to begin!"

Sabriel lifted her head again, something to say obviously on her lips.

"Your aunt would be going with you. She would be able to Remember the making if she was closer to the Wall, although she would have to go far into Death to do it."

Sam blinked stupidly. "Alright, say I agree, and Aunt Lirael and I go to the Wall and Remember and all that. We can't very well take an army with us, can we? You said that no one knew – so I'm assuming no one can know. Will it just be her and I?"

This time, it was Touchstone who spoke.

"No, Sam. You would need an extra companion; to guard Lirael in death and in case any emergencies appear. No, you two will not be traveling alone.

"I'm sending Nicholas with you."