l flow into you； and my mind will flow into yours； and we'll be like one person； thinking each other's thoughts； and you can send me miles away to spy for you； or keep me here by your side； whichever you like。 And I'd help you lead the bears to capture Bolvangar； if you like； and make them create more daemons for your favorite bears； or if you'd rather be the only bear with a daemon； we could destroy Bolvangar forever。 We could do anything； lofur Raknison； you and me together！〃
All the time she was holding Pantalaimon in her pocket with a trembling hand； and he was keeping as still as he could； in the smallest mouse form he had ever assumed。
lofur Raknison was pacing up and down with an air of explosive excitement。
〃Single bat？〃 he was saying。 〃Me？ I must fight Iorek Byrnison？ Impossible！ He is outcast！ How can that be？ How can I fight him？ Is that the only way？〃
〃It's the only way；〃 said Lyra； wishing it were not； because lofur Raknison seemed bigger and more fierce every minute。 Dearly as she loved Iorek； and strong as her faith was in him； she couldn't really believe that he would ever beat this giant among giant bears。 But it was the only hope they had。 Being mown down from a distance by fire hurlers was no hope at all。 Suddenly lofur Raknison turned。 〃Prove it！〃 he said。 〃Prove that you are a daemon！〃
〃All right；〃 she said。 〃I can do that； easy。 I can find out anything that you know and no one else does； something that only a daemon would be able to find out。〃
〃Then tell me what was the first creature I killed。〃
〃I'll have to go into a room by myself to do this；〃 she said。 〃When I'm your daemon； you'll be able to see how I do it； but until then it's got to be private。〃
〃There is an anteroom behind this one。 Go into that； and e out when you know the answer。〃
Lyra opened the door and found herself in a room lit by one torch； and empty but for a cabinet of mahogany containing some tarnished silver ornaments。 She took out the alethiome…ter and asked： 〃Where is Iorek now？〃
〃Four hours away； and hurrying ever faster。〃
〃How can I tell him what I've done？〃
〃You must trust him。〃
She thought anxiously of how tired he would be。 But then she reflected that she was not doing what the alethiometer had just told her to do： she wasn't trusting him。
She put that thought aside and asked the question lofur Raknison wanted。 What was the first creature he had killed？ The answer came： lofur's own father。
She asked further； and learned that lofur had been alone on the ice as a young bear； on his first hunting expedition； and had e across a solitary bear。 They had quarreled and fought； and lofur had killed him。 This in itself would have been a crime； but it was worse than simple murder； for lofur learned later that the other bear was his own father。 Bears were brought up by their mothers； and seldom saw their fathers。 Naturally lofur concealed the truth of what he had done； no one knew about it but lofur himself； and now Lyra knew as well。
She put the alethiometer away； and wondered how to tell him about it。
〃Flatter him！〃 whispered Pantalaimon。 〃That's all he wants。〃
So Lyra opened the door and found lofur Raknison waiting for her； with an expression of triumph； slyness； apprehension； and greed。
〃Well？〃
She knelt down in front of him and bowed her head to touch his left forepaw； the stronger； for bears were left…handed。
〃I beg your pardon； lofur Raknison！〃 she said。 〃I didn't know you were so strong and great！〃
〃What's this？ Answer my question！〃
〃The first creature you killed was your own father。 I think you're a new god； lofur Raknison。 That's what you must be。 Only a god would have the strength to do that。〃
〃You know！ You can see！〃
〃Yes； because I am a daemon； like I said。〃
〃Tell me one thing more。 What did the Lady Coulter promise me when she was here？〃
Once again Lyra went into the empty room and consulted the alethiometer before returning with the answer。
〃She promised you that she'd get the Magisterium in Geneva to agree that you could be baptized as a Christian； even though you hadn't got a daemon then。 Well； I'm afraid that she hasn't done that； lofur Raknison； and quite honestly I don't think they'd ever agree to that if you didn't have a daemon。 I think she knew that； and she wasn't telling you the truth。 But in any case when you've got me as your daemon； you could be baptized if you wanted to； because no one could argue then。 You could demand it and they wouldn't be able to turn you down。〃
〃Yes 。 。 。 True。 That's what she said。 True； every word。 And she has deceived me？ I trusted her； and she deceived me？〃
〃Yes； she did。 But she doesn't matter anymore。 Excuse me； lofur Raknison； I hope you won't mind me telling you； but Iorek Byrnison's only four hours away now； and maybe you better tell your guard bears not to attack him as they normally would。 If you're going to fight him for me； he'll have to be allowed to e to the palace。〃
〃Yes 。 。 。 〃
〃And maybe when he es I better pretend I still belong to him； and say I got lost or something。 He won't know。 I'll pretend。 Are you going to tell the other bears about me being Iorek's daemon and then belonging to you when you beat him？〃
〃I don't know 。 。 。 。What should I do？〃
〃I don't think you better mention it yet。 Once we're together； you and me； we can think what's best to do and decide then。 What you need to do now is explain to all the other bears why you're going to let Iorek fight you like a proper bear； even though he's an outcast。 Because they won't understand； and we got to find a reason for that。 I mean； they'll do what you tell them anyway； but if they see the reason for it； they'll admire you even more。〃
〃Yes。 What should we tell them？〃
〃Tell them。。 。tell them that to make your kingdom …pletely secure； you've called Iorek Byrnison here yourself to fight him； and the winner will rule over the bears forever。 See； if you make it look like your idea that he's ing； and not his； they'll be really impressed。 They'll think you're able to call him here from far away。 They'll think you can do anything。〃
〃Yes 。 。 。 〃
The great bear was helpless。 Lyra found her power over him almost intoxicating； and if Pantalaimon hadn't nipped her hand sharply to remind her of the danger they were all in； she might have lost all her sense of proportion。
But she came to herself and stepped modestly back to watch and wait as the bears； under lofur's excited direction； prepared the bat ground for Iorek Byrnison； and meanwhile Iorek； knowing nothing about it； was hurrying ever closer toward what she wished she could tell him was a fight for his life。
TWENTY
MORTAL BAT
Fights between bears were mon； and the subject of much ritual。 For a bear to kill another was rare； though； and when that happened it was usually by accident； or when one bear mistook the signals from another； as in the case of Iorek Byrnison。 Cases of straightforward murder； like lofur's killing of his own father； were rarer still。
But occasionally there came circumstances in which the only way of settling a dispute was a fight to the death。 And for that； a whole ceremonial was prescribed。
As soon as lofur announced that Iorek Byrnison was on his way； and a bat would take place； the bat ground was swept and smoothed； and armorers came up from the fire mines to check lofur's armor。 Every rivet was examined； every link tested； and the plates were burnished with the finest sand。 Just as much attention was paid to his claws。 The gold leaf was rubbed off； and each separate six…inch hook was sharpened and filed to a deadly point。 Lyra watched with a growing sickness in the pit of her stomach； for Iorek Byrnison wouldn't be having this attention； he had been marching over the ice for nearly twenty…four hours already without rest or food； he might have been injured in the crash。 And she had let him in for this fight without his knowledge。 At one point； after lofur Raknison had tested the sharpness of his claws on a fresh…killed walrus； slicing its skin open like paper； and the power of his crashing blows on the walrus's skull （two