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at once he spread his leathery wings and bounded upward； and a moment later the rest of the troop followed。
xaphania and her angels had searched diligently all the night and some of the morning； and finally they had found a minute crack in the mountainside to the south of the fortress； which had not been there the day before。 they had explored it and enlarged it； and now lord asriel was climbing down into a series of caverns and tunnels extending a long way below the fortress。
it wasnt totally dark； as hed thought。 there was a faint source of illumination； like a stream of billions of tiny particles； faintly glowing。 they flowed steadily down the tunnel like a river of light。
〃dust；〃 he said to his daemon。
he had never seen it with the naked eye； but then he had never seen so much dust together。 he moved on； until quite suddenly the tunnel opened out； and he found himself at the top of a vast cavern： a vault
immense enough to contain a dozen cathedrals。 there was no floor； the sides sloped vertiginously down toward the edge of a great pit hundreds of feet below； and darker than darkness itself； and into the pit streamed the endless dust fall； pouring ceaselessly down。 its billions of particles were like the stars of every galaxy in the sky； and every one of them was a little fragment of conscious thought。 it was a melancholy light to see by。
he climbed with his daemon down toward the abyss； and as they went； they gradually began to see what was happening along the far side of the gulf； hundreds of yards away in the gloom。 he had thought there was a movement there； and the farther down he climbed； the more clearly it resolved itself： a procession of dim； pale figures picking their way along the perilous slope； men； women； children； beings of every kind he had seen and many he had not。 intent on keeping their balance； they ignored him altogether； and lord asriel felt the hair stir at the back of his neck when he realized that they were ghosts。
〃lyra came here；〃 he said quietly to the snow leopard。
〃tread carefully；〃 was all she said in reply。
will and lyra were soaked through； shivering； racked with pain； and stumbling blindly through mud and over rocks and into little gullies where storm…fed streams ran red with blood。 lyra was afraid that the lady salmakia was dying： she hadnt uttered a word for several minutes； and she lay faint and limp in lyras hand。
as they sheltered in one riverbed where the water was white； at least； and scooped up handfuls to their thirsty mouths； will felt tialys rouse himself and say：
〃will； i can hear horses ing； lord asriel has no cavalry。 it must be the enemy。 get across the stream and hide； i saw some bushes that way。。。〃
〃e on；〃 said will to lyra； and they splashed through the icy； bone…aching water and scrambled up the far side of the gully just in time。 the riders who came over the slope and clattered down to drink didnt look like cavalry： they seemed to be of the same kind of close…haired flesh as their horses； and they had neither clothes nor harness。 they carried weapons； though： tridents； nets； and scimitars。
will and lyra didnt stop to look； they stumbled over the rough ground at a crouch； intent only on getting away unseen。
but they had to keep their heads low to see where they were treading and avoid twisting an ankle； or worse； and thunder exploded overhead as they ran； so they couldnt hear the screeching and snarling of the cliff…ghasts until they were upon them。
the creatures were surrounding something that lay glittering in the mud： something slightly taller than they were； which lay on its side； a large cage； perhaps； with walls of crystal。 they were hammering at it with fists and rocks； shrieking and yelling。
and before will and lyra could stop and run the other way； they had stumbled right into the middle of the troop。
。。。！
THIRTY…ONE … AUTHORITY’S END
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mrs。 coulter whispered to the shadow beside her：
〃look how he hides； metatron！ he creeps through the dark like a rat。。。〃
they stood on a ledge high up in the great cavern； watching lord asriel and the snow leopard make their careful way down； a long way below。
〃i could strike him now；〃 the shadow whispered。
〃yes； of course you could；〃 she whispered back； leaning close； 〃but i want to see his face； dear metatron； i want him to know ive betrayed him。 e； lets follow and catch him。。。〃
the dust fall shone like a great pillar of faint light as it descended smoothly and never…endingly into the gulf。 mrs。 coulter had no attention to spare for it； because the shadow beside her was trembling with
desire； and she had to keep him by her side； under what control she could manage。
they moved down； silent； following lord asriel。 the farther down they climbed； the more she felt a great weariness fall over her。
〃what？ what？〃 whispered the shadow； feeling her emotions； and suspicious at once。
〃i was thinking；〃 she said with a sweet malice； 〃how glad i am that the child will never grow up to love and be loved。 i thought i loved her when she was a baby； but now。。。”
〃there was regret；〃 the shadow said； 〃in your heart there was regret that you will not see her grow up。〃
〃oh； metatron； how long it is since you were a man！ can you really not tell what it is im regretting？ its not her ing of age； but mine。 how bitterly i regret that i didnt know of you in my own girlhood； how passionately i would have devoted myself to you。。。〃
she leaned toward the shadow； as if she couldnt control the impulses of her own body； and the shadow hungrily sniffed and seemed to gulp at the scent of her flesh。
they were moving laboriously over the tumbled and broken rocks toward the foot of the slope。 the farther down they went； the more the dust light gave everything a nimbus of golden mist。 mrs。 coulter kept reaching for where his hand might have been if the shadow had been a human panion； and then seemed to recollect herself； and whispered：
〃keep behind me； metatron； wait here； asriel is suspicious； let me lull him first。 when hes off guard； ill call you。 but e as a shadow； in this small form； so he doesnt see you； otherwise； hell just let the childs daemon fly away。〃
the regent was a being whose profound intellect had had thousands of years to deepen and strengthen itself； and whose knowledge extended over a million universes。 nevertheless； at that moment he was blinded by his twin obsessions： to destroy lyra and to possess her mother。 he nodded and stayed where he was； while the woman and the monkey moved forward as quietly as they could。
lord asriel was waiting behind a great block of granite； out of sight of the regent。 the snow leopard heard them ing； and lord asriel stood up as mrs。 coulter came around the corner。 everything； every surface； every cubic centimeter of air； was permeated by the falling dust； which gave a soft clarity to every tiny detail； and in the dust light lord asriel saw that her face was wet with tears； and that she was gritting her teeth so as not to sob。
he took her in his arms； and the golden monkey embraced the snow leopards neck and buried his black face in her fur。
〃is lyra safe？ has she found her daemon？〃 she whispered。
〃the ghost of the boys father is protecting both of them。〃
〃dust is beautiful。。。 i never knew。〃
〃what did you tell him？〃
〃i lied and lied； asriel。。 。lets not wait too long； i cant bear it。。。 we wont live； will we？ we wont survive like the ghosts？〃
〃not if we fall into the abyss。 we came here to give lyra time to find her daemon； and then time to live and grow up。 if we take metatron to extinction； marisa； shell have that time； and if we go with him； it doesnt matter。〃
〃and lyra will be safe？〃
〃yes； yes；〃 he said gently。
he kissed her。 she felt as soft and light in his arms as she had when lyra was conceived thirteen years before。
she was sobbing quietly。 when she could speak； she whispered：
〃i told him i was going to betray you； and betray lyra； and he believed me because i was corrupt and
full of wickedness； he looked so deep i felt sure hed see the truth。 but i lied too well。 i was lying with every nerve and fiber and everything id ever done。。。i wanted him to find no good in me； an