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the soldier fell back as if hed been kicked by a horse。 simultaneously the two little spies launched themselves at the other two； leaping from the dragonflies at their victims before will could blink。 the woman found a neck； the man a wrist； and each made a quick backward stab with a heel。 a choking； anguished gasp； and the two swiss died； their daemons vanishing in mid…howl。
will leapt over the bodies； and lyra went with him； running hard and fast with pantalaimon racing wildcat…formed at their heels。 wheres ama？ will thought； and he saw her in the same moment dodging down a different path。 now shell be safe； he thought； and a second later he saw the pale gleam of the window deep behind the bushes。 he seized lyras arm and pulled her toward it。 their faces were scratched； their clothes were snagged； their ankles twisted on roots and rocks； but they found the window and tumbled through； into the other world； onto the bone…white rocks under the glaring moon； where only the scraping of the insects broke the immense silence。
and the first thing will did was to hold his stomach and retch； heaving and heaving with a mortal horror。 that was two men now that hed killed； not to mention the youth in the tower of the angels。。。 will did not want this。 his body revolted at what his instinct had made him do； and the result was a dry； sour； agonizing spell of kneeling and vomiting until his stomach and his heart were empty。
lyra watched helpless nearby； nursing pan； rocking him against her breast。
will finally recovered a little and looked around。 and at once he saw that they werent alone in this world； because the little spies were there； too； with their packs laid on the ground nearby。 their dragonflies were skimming over the rocks； snapping up moths。 the man was massaging the shoulder of the woman； and both of them looked at the children sternly。 their eyes were so bright and their features so distinct that there was no doubt about their feelings； and will knew they were a formidable pair； whoever they were。
he said to lyra； 〃the alethiometers in my rucksack； there。〃
〃oh； will； i did so hope youd find it； whatever happened。 did you find your father？ and my dream； will； its too much to believe； what we got to do； oh； i darent even think of it。。。 and its safe！ you brung it all this way safe for me。。。〃
the words tumbled out of her so urgently that even she didnt expect answers。 she turned the alethiometer over and over； her fingers stroking the heavy gold and the smooth crystal and the knurled wheels they knew so well。
will thought： itll tell us how to mend the knife！
but he said first； 〃are you all right？ are you hungry or thirsty？〃
〃i dunno。。。 yeah。 but not too much。 anyway。。。”
〃we should move away from this window；〃 will said； 〃just in case they find it and e through。〃
〃yes； thats true；〃 she said； and they moved up the slope； t； will carrying his rucksack and lyra happily
carrying the little bag she kept the alethiometer in。 out of the corner of his eye； will saw the two small spies following； but they kept their distance and made no threat。
over the brow of the rise there was a ledge of rock that offered a narrow shelter； and they sat beneath it； having carefully checked it for snakes； and shared some dried fruit and some water from wills bottle。
will said quietly； 〃the knifes broken。 i dont know how it happened。 mrs。 coulter did something； or said something； and i thought of my mother and that made the knife twist； or catch； or； i dont know what happened。 but were stuck till we can get it mended。 i didnt want those two little people to know； because while they think i can still use it； ive got the upper hand。 i thought you could ask the alethiometer； maybe； and。。。”
〃yeah！〃 she said at once。 〃yeah； i will。〃
she had the golden instrument out in a moment and moved into the moonlight so she could see the dial clearly。 looping back the hair behind her ears； just as will had seen her mother do； she began to turn the wheels in the old familiar way； and pantalaimon； mouse…formed now； sat on her knee。
she had hardly started before she gave a little gasp of excitement； and she looked up at will with shining eyes as the needle swung。 but it hadnt finished yet； and she looked back； frowning； until the instrument fell still。
she put it away； saying； 〃iorek？ is he nearby； will？ i thought i heard you call him； but then i thought i was just wishing。 is he realty？〃
〃yes。 could he mend the knife？ is that what the alethiometer said？〃
〃oh； he can do anything with metal； will！ not only armor； he can make little delicate things as well。。。〃 she told him about the small tin box iorek had made for her to shut the spy…fly in。 〃but where is he？〃
〃close by。 he would have e when i called； but obviously he was fighting。。。 and balthamos！ oh； he must have been so frightened。。。〃
〃who？〃
he explained briefly； feeling his cheeks warm with the shame that the angel must be feeling。
〃but ill tell you more about him later；〃 he said。 〃its so strange。。。 he told me so many things； and i think i understand them； too。。。〃 he ran his hands through his hair and rubbed his eyes。
〃you got to tell me everything；〃 she said firmly。 〃everything you did since she caught me。 oh； will； you ent still bleeding？ your poor hand。。。〃
〃no。 my father cured it。 i just opened it up when i hit the golden monkey； but its better now。 he gave me some ointment that hed made。。。”
〃you found your father？〃
〃thats right； on the mountain； that night。。。〃
he let her clean his wound and put on some fresh ointment from the little horn box while he told her some of what had happened： the fight with the stranger； the revelation that came to them both a second before the witchs arrow struck home； his meeting with the angels； his journey to the cave； and his meeting with iorek。
〃all that happening； and i was asleep；〃 she marveled。 〃dyou know； i think she was kind to me； will； i think she was； i dont think she ever wanted to hurt me。。。she did such bad things； but。。。〃
she rubbed her eyes。
〃oh； but my dream； will； i cant tell you how strange it was！ it was like when i read the alethiometer； all that clearness and understanding going so deep you cant see the bottom； but clear all the way down。
〃it was。。。 remember i told you about my friend roger； and how the gobblers caught him and i tried to rescue him； and it went wrong and lord asriel killed him？
〃well； i saw him。 in my dream i saw him again； only he was dead； he was a ghost； and he was； like；
beckoning to me； calling to me； only i couldnt hear。 he didnt want me to be dead； it wasnt that。 he wanted to speak to me。
〃and。。。 it was me that took him there； to svalbard； where he got killed； it was my fault he was dead。 and i thought back to when we used to play in jordan college； roger and me； on the roof； all through the town； in the markets and by the river and down the claybeds。。。 me and roger and all the others。。。 and i went to bolvangar to fetch him safe home； only i made it worse； and if i dont say sorry； itll all be no good； just a huge waste of time。 i got to do that； you see； will。 i got to go down into the land of the dead and find him； and。。。and say sorry。 i dont care what happens after that。 then we can。。。 i can 。。。 it doesnt matter after that。〃
will said； 〃this place where the dead are。 is it a world like this one； like mine or yours or any of the others？ is it a world i could get to with the knife？〃
she looked at him； struck by the idea。
〃you could ask；〃 he went on。 〃do it now。 ask where it is； and how we get there。〃
she bent over the alethiometer and her fingers moved swiftly。 a minute later she had the answer。
〃yes；〃 she said； 〃but its a strange place； will。。。so strange 。。。 could we really do that？ could we really go to the land of the dead？ but； what part of us does that？ because daemons fade away when we die； ive seen them； and our bodies； well； they just stay in the grave and decay； dont they？〃
〃then there must be a third part。 a different part。〃
〃you know；〃 she said； full of excitement； 〃i think that must be true！ because i can think about my body and i can think about my daemon； so there must be another part； to do the thinking！〃