She can't be cut

Lee had slept quite easily last night, and Lyra had done all she could to give him consonance. He was incredibly grateful. She decided to walk alongside him hoping it could give him more strength for the fight up ahead. The fight to save Mia.

Once again they were forced to take a rest after successfully heaving the sledges along the mountain sides. It was terrifying. But they managed. Lyra was totally terrified...but Ma Costa kept her safe, compelling her to channel her fear into strength to get to Bolvanger...to save Roger and Mia.

She sat down and fished out her Alethiometer to check on Mia again. It had been quite a long while. She prayed that everything was alright. After setting the symbols, the main needle started rotating round and round. Her head began to quiver. It settled on the final symbol, the hourglass with the skull.

"Oh no," she gasped.

Pan asked her what was wrong but she had no time to talk. She sprinted through the camp looking for Lee. She found him with Iorek.

"Mr. Scoresby! Mr. Scoresby!" She cried out.

He turned to me. "What is it Lyra?"

"What is wrong child?" Iorek asked.

"It's Mia?! I checked the Alethiometer and she's in danger!"

"What?!" Lee screamed.

"My mother tried to cut Roger but Mia prevented her. Now she's locked her up and she's going to cut her soon. And she's sent out a search warrant on you because of that man Mr. Sysselman,"

"What?!" he shrieked louder.

"He told her about Trollesund and she thinks you know where I am,"

He turned around, her face becoming paler by the second.

Lyra turned to Iorek. "I should have let you finish him off Iorek. If there wasn't an excuse for him to live before, there definitely isn't one now,"

"Don't blame yourself child. You couldn't have known what was going to happen,"

"How are we going to get to her?!" Lee cried. "We're still two leagues from Bolvanger!"

Lyra drifted off into thought. Then an idea popped into her head. "We could ride your balloon!"

Mia had never felt more scared in my life than she had now. "I'm so sorry Aster," she had not released my daemon from the warmth of her arms. "So sorry I got us into this,"

"You did what you had to do. You couldn't let that woman damage Roger. And you couldn't betray Lyra. You did good...and I'm proud of you for it," he nuzzled her face and she shed a few tears.

Soft growling echoed in her ears. They twisted their heads and they saw the female bear staring at them from inside her cage.

"You showed exceptional bravery young child. And I am very impressed that such a child like you

"What's your name?"

"My name is Iera Yoraher,"

"I'm...Mia Scoresby," she said. "How did you end up here?"

"I was captured by these barbaric men when I wondered too far to this foul place. And then four days later, I'm told I'm about to shipped off to some human town to be a slave,"

"What are you doing here? Why aren't you in Svalbard?"

"The bear king Iofur Raknison tried to force me to mate with him. I refused to be mated to the bear I did not love. And so I fled. And I have been searching for days for my beloved Iorek Byrnison,"

She stared at her. "You're the bear that Iorek Byrnison fought over,"

She stared at her as if on instinct. "What do you know of him?" she sounded aggressive.

"He's my friend. I know where he is,"

"You do?"

"He's on his way here to rescue all the children that are trapped here,"

"How does he come into the business of rescuing kids?"

"My friend Lyra Belaqua helped him find his armour and freed him from his slavery in Trollesund. And in exchange he pledged his loyalty to her to help her. They're on their way here...with Iorek's friend, my father - Lee Scoresby,"

"Your father is friends with Iorek?"

"Yes. Iorek saved his life three years ago,"

"How far away are they?"

"Not too far. But they are not going to reach here on time before I'm cut...like all the other children they've done here,"

"And that's why we have to build my balloon now," Lee begged. "My daughter is about to be cut. I have to get to her,"

"I am sorry Mr. Scoresby! I simply cannot let you do that!" John snapped stubbornly. "They will spot you clear from the sky and they will shoot you. And if they shoot you down, everything we've worked for will be lost. They'll double their security and reduce our chances of winning this fight,"

"How would you feel if you lost your child?" he snapped. "You would do anything to save him or her? Wouldn't you?"

"Yes. But I am not going to put all of our children in danger by letting just fly in with no plan at that awful place,"

"Then you're condemning my child to losing her soul!"

"Well maybe you should have taken better care of her,"

Big mistake. Lyra thought to herself How dare John say such a thing.

Lee fumed up and lunged at the Gyptian King. Maggie and Tony tried to stop them.

"Enough you two!" Coram bellowed. "John...now that we're close than ever to Bolvanger...it's time we put that balloon to good use,"

"John..." Lyra stepped up. "I could go in the balloon with Lee. l can use the Alethiometer to find us a way inside as well buy you guys time to sneak in,"

"Absolutely not!"

"Please Lord Faa, it's my fault my mother's doing this to her. And it's my fault for not letting Iorek kill that man in the first place. Trust me,"

John was about to object when Ma stepped in. "Trust her judgement," She had faith in her. Lyra felt such motherly devotion emitting from behind her warm lips. "That device has never lied to her before...so it'll help us. And you said it yourself that you didn't want another child to suffer. Well you're condemning Mia to the same fate if you don't let them go. And besides if they sneak in, they could secure us a way in,"

John stared at me. Lyra saw he still had a sense of stubbornness on his face. "Very well,"

Instantly everyone got to work. Lee's Scoresby's balloon was more magnificent than Lyra thought. She admired it greatly. And she couldn't believe that she was actually flying in it. Once we rescue Mia and Roger, perhaps they could give us a proper lift for fun. Right now, it was time for a rescue.

Before Lyra could board with Lee and surprisingly Iorek, Ma clasped her shoulder. She looked at her.

"I hope you know what you're doing,"

"I hope so too. I know you want to protect me. But I have to go, to save Mia,"

"Then go you shall my child," she kissed her forehead and she boarded with Lee.

"You had better take good care of her," Ma warned him.

"I will. And thank you. For convincing John," he said gratefully. Had it not be for her words, the stubborn John would not have been moved.

"I wasn't about to see someone lose their child,"

The hatch was close and there was a sudden whoosh. The balloon was carried high into the sky. Lyra waved down below to Ma and John and Coram.

"Good luck Lyra!" Coram screamed.

"Save Mia!" Ma screamed.

"Take care of her Iorek and Lee!" John ordered. Minutes passed and they were zooming over plains of white with no mountains. It felt strange as if they were in the middle of nowhere. But we were heading in the right direction. In less than an hour, they had managed to cover nearly two leagues and we were closer to Bolvanger by the minute, closer to Roger, closer to Mia.

"Your balloon sure travels fast Lee," Lyra complimented.

"I hope it's fast enough," he prayed.

"I'm sure it is,"

Mrs. Coulter walked forward towards the restricted room and opened the door. Upon entering she saw Mia stroking the bear's fur; she seemed calm and rather consoled by her touch. They turned to her. The bear growled.

Mia glared at her. So did her daemon. They were not afraid as Mrs. Coulter wished them to be.

"It's time," Mrs. Coulter clicked my fingers.

Mr. Sysselman hurled up Mia and the golden monkey daemon grabbed Aster and dragged him along.

"I will not be your slave," the bear bit her teeth at Mr. Sysselman but he was not threatened.

All he simply said was, "You had better not misbehave like the other bear did. Or you'll be meat,"

Lyra had taken a little rest when I heard Iorek roaring.

"Lyra! Lee! Look!" Iorek shouted. They scrambled to one side and they saw a station almost buried completely under the snow. This was it.

"Bolvanger," she breathed.

"She's in there somewhere. I only hope we're not too late," Lee was so frightened. "How do we get in?"

"That place will be lurking with Tartars,"

"I'll check the Alethiometer," she said. She pulled it and asked a question. "It says that there's vent on the roof, quite small though on the south side of the building, just past that snow hill. There aren't a lot of soldiers. If I jump down, I could sneak through it and find a way to get to Mia,"

"I can't let you go in like that," Lee shook his head. "I promised Ma Costa I'd take care of you,"

"And I made a promise that I would help you get to Mia. In the meantime, you guys need to provide a distraction so that I can sneak around without getting caught,"

They looked agitated.

"I know that it seems risky but..."

"Don't be kid. If it means getting my daughter free...then I'm willing to take the risk,"

"I do too," Iorek said. "And I hope that we can free that poor bear locked up in there,"

"We will Iorek," Lyra promised.

"You really think this will work?" Lee asked his old friend.

"I have faith in her. And you must as well...for Mia,"

"For Mia," Lee turned to Lyra and clasped her shoulder. "Promise me Lyra...that you will save her,"

"I will,"

"Thank you. You have no idea how grateful I am for everything you've done for us,"

"Thank you Lee. I won't fail you,"

"Okay. I'll get it as close I can to the ground," Lee pulled a lever and it started descending carefully down, still a far distance from the fortress. Lyra took one last glance at Lee and Iorek. And then she jumped.

Mrs. Coulter and her accomplice took Mia and her daemon to the Intercession room and she ordered her to be placed in the cages. She walked up to the cage with Mia trapped inside. I peered through the little glass window. "This is your last chance. Tell me where Lyra is,"

"Never," she spat.

"Very well," she turned my head. "Close the doors,"

She walked backwards and the doctors closed the metal doors. She walked up to the control panel and watched as they stood back and the lights went out a little.

Lyra managed to sprint through the snow and rushed to a wall with pipes. Quickly she climbed up, taking extreme to keep my head down from Tartars parading the upper levels.

"Lyra, over there," Pan whispered.

She looked ahead and saw the vent. My way in. Things were going rather for Lyra. Or as she hoped they would. As fast she could, she pulled it open and she slipped down like a rat in a pipe. She felt a bang under my feet and looked down. Another vent. Pan turned into a moth and flew through.

"All clear," he called back.

She took in a deep breath and jumped. When she landed, she came right through the vent and land on the stone floor, right inside this dreadful place.

"I only hope we're not too late Pan," she prayed.

They carefully snuck around the corners. Lyra heard soldiers. Just then she heard clamouring and taking a peak she spotted dozens of men with wolf daemons running around the side. Iorek was distracting them.

"Looks like it's working," Pan said.

Lyra smirked. They kept going down the long corridor.

The doctor pulled up a lever and Mrs. Coulter heard the blade lifting up between the two cages.

"No matter what happens Aster...I'll always love you!" Mia's screams were muffled behind those metal doors.

"Just proceed with it already," Sysselman growled. "The sooner we cut this kid, the sooner we can get her to shut up,"

Mrs. Coulter nodded at the doctor. She waited a few seconds as the machine was powered up and then...she pushed it down.

There was a sudden flash of light and the beautiful arrogant woman blinked. Everyone staggered. The room lit up again. They heard squeals from behind the doors. Nothing had happened. There was supposed to be silence. When Mrs. Coulter looked at the energy meter to see if any energy from the bond between that naughty girl and her equally naughty daemon had been absorbed to cut them apart. There was nothing.

"What's going on?" she demanded. "Why has any energy been absorbed? Why can't she be cut?"

"The blade...it won't cut them apart," the doctor said.

Mrs. Coulter blinked and stood still. "What do you mean it won't cut them apart?" she snapped.

"I..I...I don't know. I'll try again,"

The doctor lifted the lever and the blade raised again. Then it fell. Again nothing happened.

"Again!" she shouted.

Two times we tried. And two times we failed again. Was it a technical error with the machine...or something more? A cold look painted Mrs. Coulter's feature.

Lyra was charging as fast as I could when a sudden shrill echoed in my ears. She stiffened. It was screaming.

"Oh no," Pan whispered.

No...we can't be too late. Lyra felt her heart hammering in her chest. She struggled to breathe. She bolted on, panic overwhelming her body.

Woah. So Mia can't be cut from Aster. Why is that? What will Coulter do next? How will Lyra save her? You'll have to wait until the next story to find out why. Get ready for the next chapter. Please send reviews and let me know what you all thought.