e； or the bear。 when do you next bring her food？〃
half an hour before sunset； amas daemon said。
〃bring the medicine with you then；〃 said will。 〃ill meet you here。〃
she watched with great unease as he set off along the path。 surely he didnt believe what she had just told him about the monkey daemon； or he wouldnt walk so recklessly up to the cave。
actually； will felt very nervous。 all his senses seemed to be clarified； so that he was aware of the tiniest insects drifting in the sun shafts and the rustle of every leaf and the movement of the clouds above； even though his eyes never left the cave mouth。
〃balthamos；〃 he whispered； and the angel daemon flew to his shoulder as a bright…eyed small bird with red wings。 〃keep close to me； and watch that monkey。〃
〃then look to your right；〃 said balthamos tersely。
and will saw a patch of golden light at the cave mouth that had a face and eyes and was watching them。 they were no more than twenty paces away。 he stood still； and the golden monkey turned his head to look in the cave； said something； and turned back。
will felt for the knife handle and walked on。
when he reached the cave； the woman was waiting for him。 ？
she was sitting at her ease in the little canvas chair； with a book on her lap； watching him calmly。 she was wearing travelers clothes of khaki； but so well were they cut and so graceful was her figure that they looked like the highest of high fashion； and the little spray of red blossom shed pinned to her shirtfront looked like the most elegant of jewels。 her hair shone and her dark eyes glittered； and her bare legs gleamed golden in the sunlight。
she smiled。 will very nearly smiled in response； because he was so unused to the sweetness and gentleness a woman could put into a smile； and it unsettled him。
〃youre will；〃 she said in that low； intoxicating voice。
〃how do you know my name〃 he said harshly。
〃lyra says it in her sleep。〃
〃where is she？〃
〃safe。〃
〃i want to see her。〃
〃e on； then；〃 she said； and got to her feet； dropping the book on the chair。
for the first time since ing into her presence； will looked at the monkey daemon。 his fur was long and lustrous； each hair seeming to be made of pure gold； much finer than a humans； and his little face and hands were black。 will had last seen that face； contorted with hate； on the evening when he and lyra stole the alethiometer back from sir charles latrom in the house in oxford。 the monkey had tried to tear at him with his teeth until will had slashed left…right with the knife； forcing the daemon backward； so he could close the window and shut them away in a different world。 will thought that nothing on earth would make him turn his back on that monkey now。
but the bird…shaped balthamos was watching closely； and will stepped carefully over the floor of the
cave and followed mrs。 coulter to the little figure lying still in the shadows。
and there she was； his dearest friend； asleep。 so small she looked！ he was amazed at how all the force and fire that was lyra awake could look so gentle and mild when she was sleeping。 at her neck pantalaimon lay in his polecat shape； his fur glistening； and lyras hair lay damp across her forehead。
he knelt down beside her and lifted the hair away。 her face was hot。 out of the corner of his eye； will saw the golden monkey crouching to spring； and set his hand on the knife； but mrs。 coulter shook her head very slightly； and the monkey relaxed。
without seeming to； will was memorizing the exact layout of the cave： the shape and size of every rock； the slope of the floor； the exact height of the ceiling above the sleeping girl。 he would need to find his way through it in the dark； and this was the only chance hed have to see it first。
〃so you see； shes quite safe；〃 said mrs。 coulter。
〃why are you keeping her here？ and why dont you let her wake up？〃
〃lets sit down。〃
she didnt take the chair； but sat with him on the moss…covered rocks at the entrance to the cave。 she sounded so kindly； and there was such sad wisdom in her eyes； that wills mistrust deepened。 he felt that every word she said was a lie； every action concealed a threat； and every smile was a mask of deceit。 well； he would have to deceive her in turn： hed have to make her think he was harmless。 he had successfully deceived every teacher and every police officer and every social worker and every neighbor who had ever taken an interest in him and his home； hed been preparing for this all his life。
right； he thought。 i can deal with you。
〃would you like something to drink？〃 said mrs。 coulter。 〃ill have some； too。。。 its quite safe。 look。〃
she cut open some wrinkled brownish fruit and pressed the cloudy juice into two small beakers。 she sipped one and offered the other to will； who sipped； too； and found it fresh and sweet。
〃how did you find your way here？〃 she said。
〃it wasnt hard to follow you。〃
〃evidently。 have you got lyras alethiometer？〃
〃yes；〃 he said； and let her work out for herself whether or not he could read it。
〃and youve got a knife； i understand。〃
〃sir charles told you that； did he？〃
〃sir charles？ oh； carlo； of course。 yes； he did。 it sounds fascinating。 may i see it？〃
〃no； of course not；〃 he said。 〃why are you keeping lyra here？〃
〃because i love her；〃 she said。 〃im her mother。 shes in appalling danger and i wont let anything happen to her。〃
〃danger from what？〃 said will。
〃well。。。〃 she said； and set her beaker down on the ground； leaning forward so that her hair swung down on either side of her face。 when she sat up again； she tucked it back behind her ears with both hands； and will smelled the fragrance of some scent she was wearing bined with the fresh smell of her body； and he felt disturbed。
if mrs。 coulter saw his reaction； she didnt show it。 she went on： 〃look； will； i dont know how you came to meet my daughter； and i dont know what you know already； and i certainly dont know if i can trust you； but equally； im tired of having to lie。 so here it is： the truth。
〃i found out that my daughter is in danger from the very people i used to belong to； from the church。 frankly； i think they want to kill her。 so i found myself in a dilemma； you see： obey the church； or save my daughter。 and i was a faithful servant of the church； too。 there was no one more zealous； i gave my life to it； i served it with a passion。
〃but i had this daughter。。。”
〃i know i didnt look after her well when she was young。 she was taken away from me and brought up by strangers。 perhaps that made it hard for her to trust me。 but when she was growing up； i saw the danger that she was in； and three times now ive tried to save her from it。 ive had to bee a renegade and hide in this remote place； and i thought we were safe； but now to learn that you found us so easily； well； you can understand； that worries me。 the church wont be far behind。 and they want to kill her； will。 they will not let her live。〃
〃why？ why do they hate her so much？〃
〃because of what they think shes going to do。 i dont know what that is； i wish i did； because then i could keep her even more safe。 but all i know is that they hate her； and they have no mercy； none。〃
she leaned forward； talking urgently and quietly and closely。
〃why am i telling you this？〃 she went on。 〃can i trust you？ i think i have to。 i cant escape anymore； theres nowhere else to go。 and if youre a friend of lyras； you might be my friend； too。 and i do need friends； i do need help。 everythings against me now。 the church will destroy me； too； as well as lyra； if they find us。 im alone； will； just me in a cave with my daughter； and all the forces of all the worlds are trying to track us down。 and here you are； to show how easy it is to find us； apparently。 what are you going to do； will？ what do you want？〃
〃why are you keeping her asleep？〃 he said； stubbornly avoiding her questions。
〃because what would happen if i let her wake？ shed run away at once。 and she wouldnt last five days。〃
〃but why dont you explain it to her and give her the choice？〃
〃do you think shed listen？ do you think even if she listened shed believe me？ she doesnt trust me。 she hates me； will。 you must know that。 she despises me。 i； well。。。 i dont know how to say it。。。 i love her so much ive given up everything i had； a great career； great happiness； position and wealth； everything； to e to this cave in the mountains and live on dry bread and sour fruit； just so i can keep my daughter alive。 and if to do that i have to keep her asleep； then so be it。 but i must keep her alive。 wouldnt your mother do as much for you？〃
will felt a jolt of shock and rage that mrs。 coulter had dared to bring his own mother in to support her argument。 then the first shock was plicated by the thought that his mother； after all； had not protected him； he had had to protect her。 did mrs。 coulter love lyra more than elaine parry loved him？ but that was unfair： his mother wasnt well。
either mrs。 coulter did not know the boil of feelings that her simple words had lanced； or she was monstrously clever。 her beautiful eyes watched mildly as will reddened and shifted unfortably； and for a moment mrs。 coulter looked uncannily like her daughter