Step after step she took； and wondered with every step whether it would be better to run swiftly and leap for the other side； or go slowly as she was doing and tread as lightly as possible。 Halfway across there came another loud creak from the snow； a piece fell off near her feet and tumbled into the abyss； and the bridge settled down another few inches against the crack。
She stood perfectly still。 Pantalaimon was crouched； leopard…formed； ready to leap down and reach for her。
The bridge held。 She took another step； then another； and then she felt something settling down below her feet and leaped for the far side with all her strength。 She landed belly…down in the snow as the entire length of the bridge fell into the crevasse with a soft whoosh behind her。
Pantalaimon's claws were in her furs； holding tight。
After a minute she opened her eyes and crawled up away from the edge。 There was no way back。 She stood and raised her hand to the watching bear。 Iorek Byrnison stood on his hind legs to acknowledge her； and then turned and made off down the mountain in a swift run to help his subjects in the battle with Mrs。 Coulter and the soldiers from the zeppelin。
Lyra was alone。
TWENTY…THREE
THE BRIDGE TO THE STARS
Once Iorek Byrnison was out of sight； Lyra felt a great weakness ing over her； and she turned blindly and felt for Pantalaimon； 〃Oh； Pan； dear； I can't go on！ I'm so frightened…and so tired…all this way； and I'm scared to death！ I wish it was someone else instead of me； I do honestly！〃
Her daemon nuzzled at her neck in his cat form； warm and forting。
〃I just don't know what we got to do；〃 Lyra sobbed。 〃It's too much for us； Pan； we can't 。 。 。 〃
She clung to him blindly； rocking back and forth and letting the sobs cry out wildly over the bare snow。
〃And even if…if Mrs。 Coulter got to Roger first； there'd be no saving him； because she'd take him back to Bolvangar； or worse； and they'd kill me out of vengeance 。 。 。 。Why do they do these things to children； Pan？ Do they all hate children so much； that they want to tear them apart like this？ Why do they do it？〃
But Pantalaimon had no answer； all he could do was hug her close。 Little by little； as the storm of fear subsided； she came to a sense of herself again。 She was Lyra； cold and frightened by all means； but herself。
〃I wish 。 。 。 〃 she said； and stopped。 There was nothing that could be gained by wishing for it。 A final deep shaky breath； and she was ready to go on。
The moon had set by now； and the sky to the south was profoundly dark； though the billions of stars lay on it like diamonds on velvet。 They were outshone； though； by the Aurora； outshone a hundred times。 Never had Lyra seen it so brilliant and dramatic； with every twitch and shiver； new miracles of light danced across the sky。 And behind the ever…changing gauze of light； that other world； that sunlit city； was clear and solid。
The higher they climbed； the more the bleak land spread out below them。 To the north lay the frozen sea； pacted here and there into ridges where two sheets of ice had pressed together； but otherwise flat and white and endless； reaching to the Pole itself and far beyond； featureless； lifeless； colorless； and bleak beyond Lyra's imagination。 To the east and west were more mountains； great jagged peaks thrusting sharply upward； their scarps piled high with snow and raked by the wind into bladelike edges as sharp as scimitars。 To the south lay the way they had e； and Lyra looked most longingly back； to see if she could spy her dear friend Iorek Byrnison and his troops； but nothing stirred on the wide plain。 She was not even sure if she could see the burned wreckage of the zeppelin； or the crimson…stained snow around the corpses of the warriors。
Pantalaimon flew high； and swooped back to her wrist in his owl form。
〃They're just beyond the peak！〃 he said。 〃Lord Asriel's laid out all his instruments； and Roger can't get away…〃
And as he said that； the Aurora nickered and dimmed； like an anbaric bulb at the end of its life； and then went out altogether。 In the gloom； though； Lyra sensed the presence of the Dust； for the air seemed to be full of dark intentions； like the forms of thoughts not yet born。
In the enfolding dark she heard a cry：
〃Lyra！ Lyra！〃
〃I'm ing！〃 she cried back； and stumbled upward； clambering； sprawling； struggling； at the end of her strength； but hauling herself on and further on through the ghostly…gleaming snow。
〃Lyra！ Lyra！〃
〃I'm nearly there；〃 she gasped。 〃Nearly there； Roger！〃
Pantalaimon was changing rapidly； in his agitation： lion； ermine； eagle； wildcat； hare； salamander； owl； leopard； every form he'd ever taken； a kaleidoscope of forms among the Dust…
〃Lyra！〃
Then she reached the summit； and saw what was happening。
Fifty yards away in the starlight Lord Asriel was twisting together two wires that led to his upturned sledge； on which stood a row of batteries and jars and pieces of apparatus； already frosted with crystals of cold。 He was dressed in heavy furs； his face illuminated by the flame of a naphtha lamp。 Crouching like the Sphinx beside him was his daemon； her beautiful spotted coat glossy with power； her tail moving lazily in the snow。
In her mouth she held Roger's daemon。
The little creature was struggling； flapping； fighting； one moment a bird； the next a dog； then a cat； a rat； a bird again； and calling every moment to Roger himself； who was a few yards off； straining； trying to pull away against the heart…deep tug； and crying out with the pain and the cold。 He was calling his daemon's name； and calling Lyra； he ran to Lord Asriel and plucked his arm； and Lord Asriel brushed him aside。 He tried again； crying and pleading； begging； sobbing； and Lord Asriel took no notice except to knock him to the ground。
They were on the edge of a cliff。 Beyond them was nothing but a huge illimitable dark。 They were a thousand feet or more above the frozen sea。
All this Lyra saw by starlight alone； but then； as Lord Asriel connected his wires； the Aurora blazed all of a sudden into brilliant life。 Like the long finger of blinding power that plays between two terminals； except that this was a thousand miles high and ten thousand miles long： dipping； soaring； undulating； glowing； a cataract of glory。
He was controlling it 。 。 。
Or leading power down from it； for there was a wire running off a huge reel on the sledge； a wire that ran directly upward to the sky。 Down from the dark swooped a raven； and Lyra knew it for a witch daemon。 A witch was helping Lord Asriel； and she had flown that wire into the heights。
And the Aurora was blazing again。
He was nearly ready。
He turned to Roger and beckoned； and Roger helplessly came； shaking his head； begging； crying； but helplessly going forward。
〃No！ Run！〃 Lyra cried； and hurled herself down the slope at him。
Pantalaimon leaped at the snow leopard and snatched Roger's daemon from her jaws。 In a moment the snow leopard had leaped after him； and Pantalaimon let the other daemon go； and both young daemons； changing flick…flick…flick； turned and battled with the great spotted beast。
She slashed left…right with needle…filled paws； and her snarling roar drowned even Lyra's cries。 Both children were fighting her； too； or fighting the forms in the turbid air； those dark intentions； that came thick and crowding down the streams of Dust…
And the Aurora swayed above； its continual surging flicker picking out now this building； now that lake； now that row of
palm trees； so close you'd think that you could step from this world to that。
Lyra leaped up and seized Roger's hand。
She pulled hard； and then they tore away from Lord Asriel and ran； hand in hand； but Roger cried and twisted； because his daemon was caught again； held fast in the snow leopard's jaws； and Lord Asriel himself was reaching down toward her with a wire； and Lyra knew the heart…convulsing pain of separation； and tried to stop…
But they couldn't stop。
The cliff was sliding away beneath them。
An entire shelf of snow； sliding inexorably down…