n here otherwise。。。〃
〃well；〃 he said； 〃i dunno。 maybe i wouldve got dead some other way。 but it werent your fault； lyra； see。〃
she felt herself beginning to believe it； but all the same； it was heartrending to see the poor little cold thing； so close and yet so out of reach。 she tried to grasp his wrist； though her fingers closed in the empty air； but he understood and sat down beside her。
the other ghosts withdrew a little； leaving them alone； and will moved apart； too； to sit down and nurse his hand。 it was bleeding again； and while tialys flew fiercely at the ghosts to force them away； salmakia helped will tend to the wound。
but lyra and roger were oblivious to that。
〃and you ent dead；〃 he said。 〃howd you e here if youre still alive？ and wheres pan？〃
〃oh； roger； i had to leave him on the shore； it was the worst thing i ever had to do； it hurt so much； you know how it hurts； and he just stood there； just looking； oh； i felt like a murderer； roger； but i had to； or else i couldnt have e！〃
〃i been pretending to talk to you all the time since i died；〃 he said。 〃i been wishing i could； and wishing so hard。。。just wishing i could get out； me and all the other dead uns； cause this is a terrible place； lyra； its hopeless； theres no change when youre dead； and them bird…things。。。 you know what they do？ they wait till youre resting； you cant never sleep properly； you just sort of doze； and they e up quiet beside you and they whisper all the bad things you ever did when you was alive； so you cant forget em。 they know all the worst things about you。 they know how to make you feel horrible； just thinking of all the stupid things and bad things you ever did。 and all the greedy and unkind thoughts you ever had； they know em all； and they shame you up and they make you feel sick with yourself。。。 but you cant get away from em。〃
〃well；〃 she said； 〃listen。〃
dropping her voice and leaning closer to the little ghost； just as she used to do when they were planning mischief at jordan； ： she went on：
〃you probably dont know； but the witches； you remember serafina pekkala； the witchesve got a prophecy about me。 they dont know i know； no one does。 i never spoke to anyone about it before。 but when i was in trollesund； and farder coram the gyptian took me to see the witches consul； dr。 lanselius； he gave me like a kind of a test。 he said i had to go outside and pick out the right piece of cloud…pine out of all the others to show i could really read the alethiometer。
〃well； i done that； and then i came in quickly； because it was cold and it only took a second； it was easy。 the consul was talking to farder coram； and they didnt know i could hear em。 he said the witches had this prophecy about me； i was going to do something great and important； and it was going to be in another world。。。
〃only i never spoke of it； and i reckon i must have even forgot it； there was so much else going on。 so it sort of sunk out of my mind。 i never even talked about it with pan； cause he would have laughed； i reckon。
〃but then later on mrs。 coulter caught me and i was in a trance； and i was dreaming and i dreamed of that； and i dreamed of you。 and i remembered the gyptian boat mother； ma costa； you remember； it was their boat we got on board of； in jericho； with simon and hugh and them。。。”
〃yes！ and we nearly sailed it to abingdon！ that was the best thing we ever done； lyra！ i wont never forget that； even if im down here dead for a thousand years。。。”
〃yes； but listen； when i ran away from mrs。 coulter the first time； right； i found the gyptians again and they looked after me and。。。 oh； roger； theres so much i found out； youd be amazed； but this is the important thing： ma costa said to me； she said id got witch…oil in my soul； she said the gyptians were water people but i was a fire person。
〃and what i think that means is she was sort of preparing me for the witch…prophecy。 i know i got something important to do； and dr。 lanselius the consul said it was vital i never found out what my destiny was till it happened； see； i must never ask about it。。。 so i never did。 i never even thought what it might be。 i never asked the alethiometer； even。
〃but now i think i know。 and finding you again is just a sort of proof。 what i got to do； roger； what my destiny is； is i got to help all the ghosts out of the land of the dead forever。 me and will； we got to rescue you all。 im sure its that。 it must be。 and because lord asriel； because of something my father said。。。 death is going to die； he said。 i dunno whatll happen； though。 you mustnt tell em yet； promise。 i mean you might not last up there。 but。。。”
he was desperate to speak； so she stopped。
〃thats just what i wanted to tell you！〃 he said。 〃i told em； all the other dead uns； i told them youd e！ just like you came and rescued the kids from bolvangar！ i says； lyrall do it； it anyone can。 they
wished itd be true； they wanted to believe me； but they never really did； i could tell。
〃for one thing；〃 he went on； 〃every kid thats ever e here； every single one； starts by saying； i bet my dadll e and get me； or i bet my mum； as soon as she knows where i am； shell fetch me home again。 if it ent their dad or mum； its their friends； or their grandpa； but someones going to e and rescue em。 only they never do。 so no one believed me when i told em youd e。 only i was right！〃
〃yeah；〃 she said； 〃well； i couldnt have done it without will。 thats will over there； and thats the chevalier tialys and the lady salmakia。 theres so much to tell you； roger。。。〃
〃whos will？ wheres he e from？〃
lyra began to explain； quite unaware of how her voice changed； how she sat up straighter； and how even her eyes looked different when she told the story of her meeting with will and the fight for the subtle knife。 how could she have known？ but roger noticed； with the sad； voiceless envy of the unchanging dead。
meanwhile； will and the gallivespians were a little way off； talking quietly。
〃what are you going to do； you and the girl？〃 said tialys。
〃open this world and let the ghosts out。 thats what ive got the knife for。〃
he had never seen such astonishment on any faces； let alone those of people whose good opinion he valued。 hed acquired a great respect for these two。 they sat silent for a few moments； and then tialys said：
〃this will undo everything。 its the greatest blow you could strike。 the authority will be powerless after this。〃
〃how would they ever suspect it？〃 said the lady。 〃itll e at them out of nowhere！〃
〃and what then？〃 tialys asked will。
〃what then？ well； then well have to get out ourselves； and find our daemons； i suppose。 dont think of then。 its enough to think of now。 i havent said anything to the ghosts； in case…； in case it doesnt work。 so dont you say anything； either。 now im going to find a world i can open； and those harpies are watching。 so if you want to help； you can go and distract them while i do that。〃
instantly the gallivespians urged their dragonflies up into the murk overhead； where the harpies were as thick as blowflies。 will watched the great insects charging fearlessly up at them； for all the world as if the harpies were flies and they could snap them up in their jaws； big as they were。 he thought how much the brilliant creatures would love it when the sky was open and they could skim about over bright water again。
then he took up the knife。 and instantly there came back the words the harpies had thrown at him； taunts about his mother； and he stopped。 he put the knife down； trying to clear his mind。
he tried again； with the same result。 he could hear them clamoring above； despite the ferocity of the gallivespians； there were so many of them that two fliers alone could do little to stop them。
well； this was what it was going to be like。 it wasnt going to get any easier。 so will let his mind relax and bee disengaged； and just sat there with the knife held loosely until he was ready again。
this time the knife cut straight into the air； and met rock。 he had opened a window in this world into the underground of another。 he closed it up and tried again。
and the same thing happened； though he knew it was a different world。 hed opened windows before to find himself above the ground of another world； so he shouldnt have been surprised to find he was underground for a change； but it was disconcerting。
next time he felt carefully in the way hed learned； letting the tip search for the resonance that revealed a world where the ground was in the same place。 but the touch was wrong wherever he felt。 there was no world anywhere he could open into； everywhere he touched； it was solid rock。
lyra had sensed that something was wrong； and she jumped up from her close conversation with rogers ghost to hurry to wills side。
〃what is it？〃 she said quietly。
he told her； and added； 〃were going to have to move somewhere else before i can find a world we can open into。 and those harpies arent going to let us。 have you told the ghosts what we were planning？〃
〃no。 only roger； and i told him to keep it quiet。 hell do whatever i tell him。 oh； will； im scared； im so scared。 we might not ever get out。 suppose we get stuck here forever？〃
〃the knife can cut throu