It was a weary trudge back to St John's Lock. Lee's shoulder was hurting badly, and he developed a limp that grew worse the further they travelled. Lyra was subdued after her father's departure, and worried for Iorek and the Gyptians. Both wolfwalkers were exhausted, so when the river leading to the Lock and the first narrowboats appeared, dark smudges in the night-time, their relief was so profound it was almost painful.

They made their quiet way along the riverbank, searching for the Costa narrowboat where they guessed the Gyptians would have retreated. Most of the boats were unlit, silent, but occasionally a Gyptian, performing some chore or other would appear on deck or on the bank. Then Lee and Lyra would freeze, waiting for them to turn away or go back inside, and continue on unseen.

Finally, the Costa's boat came into view. Something large, covered with tarpaulin, was sitting on the foredeck. It stirred as the wolves approached, the covering falling back to reveal Iorek Byrnison, waiting for them.

'Lee, Lyra,' he greeted them as the wolves came limping over. 'I am glad to see you both. Is Asriel alive?'

Lyra nodded confirmation.

'Good. Go inside. We will talk in the morning.'

Iorek watched solemnly as the two wolves limped to the gangplank. Tony Costa was waiting for them, grinning all over his face.

'Good job you're back,' he remarked. 'Mum's having kittens about Lyra, if that's the right term. And you started bleeding a while ago, Mr Scoresby, at the shoulder. Had everyone in a proper lather. Go on, down you go. You're in the bunks towards the stern.'

The wolves climbed onboard, through the hatch and down the stairs into the narrowboat, towards the stern as directed. Naptha lamps were flaring, a stark contrast to outside. Woozy with pain and fatigue, Lee was only vaguely aware of people present, watching them, uttering words of joy or excitement or surprise. Almost in a trace, he walked to where two people were laid, sleeping, atop a narrow bunk apiece. He was on the right, Lyra on the left. With the last of his strength, Lee jumped on top of himself and at once felt himself descending into darkness, into quiet, into the peace of dreamless sleep.

It seemed but a moment later that Lee came back to himself. The very first thing he recognised was the familiar reassuring weight of Hester, crouched above his heart. The second thing was the pain in his left shoulder.

Lee reached up with a human hand to probe the injury but felt beneath his shirt and found someone had bandaged it while he was out being a wolf. He formed his hand into a fist, which hurt like crazy. However, his grip was as strong as ever. Painful, but not debilitating. Hester was right, he'd had worse.

Fully awake now, Lee opened his eyes to find night was giving way to the uncertain light of just before dawn. He turned his head to check on Lyra, and saw she was curled up in her bunk, very like a wolf cub, Pantalaimon a puppy cuddled within her embrace. Lee smiled at the look of innocent repose on her features.

'She looks like a little angel asleep like that,' he murmured to Hester. 'Good job we know better.'

'Ya think?' drawled Hester. 'She's fine by the way, no hurts. She's just tired.'

'Good. I don't want to have to face her pa and tell him otherwise.'

Lee stroked Hester's ears, his mood a strange mix of pride and melancholy. He had done right by Lyra, kept his promise to free her father, but Asriel's return would alter things between them. Lyra would have her real parent to look after her and guide her now. It would no longer be her and Lee, partners, them against the world. Lee supposed he ought to be thankful that the responsibility had been shifted from him, but there was more than a trace of sadness in the realisation.

All right, enough moping, he told himself, and shifted with some difficulty into a sitting position, Hester jumping down to sit in his lap. Lee was relieved to see his beloved Winchester propped against his bunk and ran an appreciative hand over it. His movement didn't go unnoticed. A moment later two Gyptians appeared by his bunk – wait, a Gyptian and a scholar.

'Mr Scoresby, it's good to see you,' beamed Dr Van Buskirk. He'd shed his scholar's robes and was wearing a heavy cotton shirt with the sleeves rolled up, patched canvas trousers with suspenders and sturdy boots, looking for all the world like a Gyptian man. Lithiel was perched on his shoulder. Alongside them was Derrick, eyes as big as a frog's in his face as he stared at Lee.

'Good to see you too, doc,' Lee answered. 'Morning, Derrick.'

Derrick blushed and didn't answer.

'Everyone make it back okay?' Lee asked, though he was confident they had done so. Van Buskirk wouldn't look so cheery if something had gone awry.

'Everyone's fine,' Van Buskirk confirmed, just as Lee had hoped. 'Tired, but fine. We all waited up for you. Except Wilfred, the young man you rescued from the laboratory. He's exhausted, and we suspect he's been drugged whilst imprisoned. He's on another boat, sleeping it off. Some healers are watching him.'

'You weren't chased?'

'No, because there were some wolves causing a riot in the centre of town,' remarked Van Buskirk wryly. 'And the Gyptians are experts at hiding. We travelled along all manner of hidden waterways to get back here. A bit hair-raising in places, but Derrick's quite the steersman.'

'Good job,' Lee said to the Gyptian. Derrick turned an interesting plum shade and bolted back towards the bow.

'Odd bloke,' said Van Busirk with cheerful puzzlement. 'But brave. By the way, Scoresby, can you tell me what happened to Asriel? Iorek Byrnison has told us he's alive but no more than that.'

'We escaped and parted ways,' Lee said carefully, unsure of how much Van Buskirk knew. Though after the scholar's witnessing his and Lyra's transformations last night, Lee was pretty certain Van Buskirk had pieced everything together about the wolfwalkers. 'Asriel had some things he needed to do. He should show up here before too long.'

'Good,' replied Van Buskirk. His daemon leaned forward a little, examined Lee and Hester with microscopic intensity. A moment later, Van Buskirk leaned forward also, and spoke very quietly.

'Mr Scoresby, about what I saw last night –'

'I can't make you unsee it,' Lee answered, glad to be speaking plainly. 'But, doc, I'd appreciate it if you'd keep your mouth shut. Not for my sake so much as Lyra's. You've seen what kind of people are after us. The danger we face.'

'Have no fear on that account, Mr Scoresby,' Van Buskirk answered at once. 'Lord Faa has my word of honour that I shall never reveal your secret, unless you permit me to, and I don't want to risk his wrath. Also, your armoured bear friend threatened to rip my head off and use my guts as fish bait if I betray you.'

'Really? Hmm,' said Lee, strangely pleased. Iorek was seldom so forthright about his friendship with Lee. He demonstrated his attachment through actions rather than words, nearly always.

'But… I will say that seeing you and Lyra last night…well, for years, I've worked in the abstract. With books, with stories and legends and fairy tales. And now, to see them brought to life… it means more than I can possibly say,' Van Buskirk continued, his smile gentle and sincere.

Lee smiled back, though with a wry quirk to his mouth.

'Well, I'm glad for that, doc,' he said, quite earnest in his words. 'You've been a great friend to me and Lyra these past few days. Can't say as I agree with you about the stories and fairy tales, though.'

'Oh? How so?'

'Ain't no way they're abstract. The best stories always have something to teach you, have something important to say.'

Van Buskirk looked thoughtful, but any riposte or agreement he was about to make was interrupted when Lyra stirred on the opposite bunk, hands coming up to rub at sleepy eyes.

'Morning, honey,' said Lee. Lyra woke up all at once then, sitting bolt upright and tipping poor Pantalaimon onto the floor.

'Hey!' Pan yelped.

'Mr Scoresby!' Lyra cried, leaping from the bunk and shoving past Van Buskirk to throw herself on Lee and squeeze him breathless. Unfortunately, her enthusiastic hug jostled his bad shoulder and Lee nearly yowled in agony. He managed to hold it back, but his shocked gasp alerted Lyra to the problem.

'Oh, I forgot!' she exclaimed, grimacing an apology. 'Here, just a moment and I'll fix it.'

She pulled back and placed her hands on his shoulder, eyes drifting shut. Van Buskirk's eyes by contrast were ready to go rolling out of his head when the first coils and twists of golden light emerged from beneath Lyra's palms. Even his barn owl-daemon looked impressed as Lyra healed Lee's injury through wolfwalker magic, the golden glow and heat building to a climax and then vanishing, its work complete.

Lyra dropped her hands and Lee jabbed at his shoulder. No pain, no restricted movement, all was healed.

'Thanks, kid,' Lee said, as Lyra opened her eyes. She glanced up at Van Buskirk, only just seeming to realise his presence.

'You can't tell no-one about that, doctor,' she informed him.

'Ah, don't worry, Iorek's gonna tear his head off if he does,' remarked Lee, swinging his legs off the bunk and searching for his boots. Lyra perked up.

'Ooh, can I watch?' she asked.

'No, you may not,' snapped Van Buskirk. 'Because it's not going to happen, I've given my word I'll keep quiet and I'm sticking to it.'

'Oh,' said Lyra, deflating. 'Well, if he rips the head off someone else, can I watch?'

'Depends on how much you annoy him in the interim,' Lee snarked, as Hester snickered. 'Anyhow, forget that. Let's get cleaned up and grab some breakfast before your pa arrives. I want you looking presentable, as least.'

Lyra pulled a face. Van Buskirk laughed and shuffled towards the prow.

'I'll tell everyone you're up and about,' he said. 'Lord Faa will want a word, and I suspect Ma Costa will want to check on Lyra.'

The scholar departed, and Lyra looked at Lee for a moment, mischief brewing in her eyes.

'We did it!' she cheered, flinging herself on him again with no mishaps this time.

'We sure did,' Lee agreed, hugging her back. 'Damn, this is gonna take some explaining when your father gets here.'

He felt Lyra stiffen in his arms and realised he'd said the wrong thing. He pulled back a little to see Lyra looking uncharacteristically sober.

'I hope he's not too angry,' she murmured. 'He's always saying, tell no-one. And now there's you and Iorek Byrnison, and Serafina Pekkala, and the Gyptians and Dr Van Buskirk! And I bit you! Another thing he said I was never to do!'

'Water under the proverbial bridge, honey,' Lee told her. 'No point fretting over it now. Besides, no way will your pa be angry. He might be a bit shocked, but everyone who knows your secret is either your friend or they've given their word of honour never to tell.'

He studied Lyra's face and realised reassurance was still needed.

'Look, Lyra, I don't know your father, but one thing I do know, is that he's gonna be so proud of you,' he continued, a little awkwardly, for he'd never been an effusive man, and he knew nothing of what sort of man Asriel truly was. 'You got landed with a lousy set of circumstances, and not only did you survive them, find yourself some allies and keep the pack safe, but you busted him out of prison and led him out of town when he was doped up with goodness-knows-what. Whichever way you look at it, you did good, kid.'

'You think?' she asked, still a trifle uncertain. Briefly, Lee wondered what kind of a number Asriel had done on Lyra but dismissed the thought as unworthy. Lyra was probably all her father had in the world, and it would be unsurprising if Asriel had been a bit overprotective or overly concerned with secrecy.

'I know,' Lee answered her, voice firm. 'I know I'm damn proud of you.'

Lyra beamed. Lee smiled back, while Hester leapt down from the bunk so Pantalaimon could cuddle up to her. Despite their outrageous circumstances and uncertain future, for a moment all was well with the world.

The moment was ended by Derrick, bustling through from the narrowboat kitchen with a steaming mug of what smelled like chocolatl in hand.

'Here,' he said, proffering it to Lee. 'I thought you might like some –'

'Ooh, thanks,' said Lyra, nabbing it and gulping it down with abandon. Derrick looked so dismayed that Lee couldn't help laughing a bit.

'Coffee would be good, if you have it,' he said to Derrick, who immediately perked up and headed back to the kitchen. Lee chuckled and set about getting his boots on and sprucing himself up for his first meeting with the famous Lord Asriel.

#

Everyone who was aware of the wolfwalkers congregated for breakfast and a council of war on Lord Faa's narrowboat (Iorek sitting on the prow again). Ma Costa tried to make a fuss over Lyra, but the girl was distracted, constantly looking out of the window of sign of her father or Serafina Pekkala. However, she definitely did the scrambled eggs and sausages justice.

Lee and Lord Faa did most of the talking, with Van Buskirk or one of the other Gyptians chipping in as required. The Gyptians had easily escaped pursuit last night, if indeed there had been any. Lee and Lyra's rescue of Lord Asriel had distracted police and Magisterium security sufficiently that the break-in at Jordan and the 'kidnapping' of Dr Van Buskirk was eclipsed. It hadn't even merited a mention in the early morning papers.

The wolves in the centre of the city, by contrast, were the talk of Oxford and the surrounding county to boot. Stories were spreading like ripples on a pond, each more outrageous than the last. That the wolves had invaded Oxford in revenge for the hunts taking place in Badbury Forest, that they had been an omen warning of some great evil about to befall the city, that they would return with an army of wolves and the streets would run red with blood.

More prosaically, Alderman Danvers was now in a precarious position as far as the citizens of Oxford were concerned. Nine people had been wounded by shots fired by Magisterium forces last night, four seriously. There had been further damage done to homes and businesses as the guards had searched Oxford for the wolves, and a number of people hurt in the crush in Jericho. Danvers was the focus of the citizens' ire, and there were already calls for him to be removed from office. The Chief Constable of Oxford Police had submitted an urgent request to his superiors in London to allow the removal of all Magisterium security forces from the city.

'All that's to our advantage,' remarked Lee. 'If Danvers is on the way out, it's one less problem to deal with.'

'He's not going to go quietly,' warned Farder Coram. 'He'll cling to power like a limpet. But if his attention is divided, it gives us a chance to get you and the wild wolves away from here safely.'

'Any word about Coulter and the Magisterium?' Van Buskirk asked.

'None, but that's to be expected,' Lord Faa commented. 'Explaining that her research subjects have all been taken, not to mention the scholar primarily responsible for such research, is going to be a severe embarrassment for her. She's not going to want that news spread about.'

'Speaking of which, what are you planning to do now, doctor?' Lee asked Van Buskirk.

'Lord Faa has offered me sanctuary among the Gyptians,' Van Buskirk answered, smiling at Faa and Farder Coram. 'Officially I'm a cousin of the Costas, visiting from the Eastern families. I'm going to stay with them for a while and try and make contact with my sister. I'll send word to the Master that I'm all right as soon as it's safe. I do hope this doesn't make trouble for him and Jordan.'

'Far as we're aware, doc, the Magisterium doesn't know that you were assisting us,' Lee pointed out. 'And they've got other problems to deal with in Oxford. Your college should be fine.'

This was perhaps a tad optimistic on Lee's part, but Van Buskirk looked so relieved by his words that he couldn't bring himself to qualify his supposition. Everyone finished off their breakfast and Lee was wondering how to distract Lyra from worrying about her father when Iorek poked his head into the cabin and announced Asriel and Serafina Pekkala were approaching.

Lyra sprang to her feet and bolted from the cabin, Pantalaimon as a hare running after her. Lee remained where he was for a moment, feeling that Lyra and her father should be allowed a few moments of privacy for their reunion. But then he reasoned they would be meeting on a riverbank crowded with Gyptians and there would be no harm in watching. So, he got up and followed at a more sedate pace, eager for a glimpse of Asriel as a human.

He ducked under the low lintel and gazed down the riverbank where the tall, upright figure of Serafina was striding along, next to a man whose swift walk ate up the distance like fire. His leopard-daemon walked alongside him, and Lee noted their similar confident movements, their cool focus on their surroundings.

Then he sucked in his breath sharply as he saw Lyra charging along the riverbank. She halted a few metres from Asriel, arms windmilling to keep her balance, and stood there, unsure. Asriel showed no reaction – at least, none that Lee could perceive from the narrowboat. He marched up to Lyra and stood, staring down at her, and said a few words.

Lyra must have responded, for Asriel nodded after a few moments and then continued on his way, Lyra hopping aside and then trailing after him towards Lord Faa's narrowboat.

Lee frowned. He'd expected Asriel to sweep Lyra up in a hug or pull her close to him, not chat briefly with her as he would a casual acquaintance. This detachment, after the hell they'd both been through, was disconcerting.

Asriel, however, must have had other things on his mind. He came striding over to the narrowboat and up the gangplank without waiting for invitation. He stepped on deck, and paused only then, as he saw Lee waiting for him.

For a long moment they surveyed one another. Lee knew his measure was being taken, and he faced Lord Asriel eye-to-eye and man to man. Stelmaria stepped forward and surveyed Hester, looming over her, but Hester was utterly self-possessed, sitting down and regarding Asriel's daemon dispassionately. It was Asriel who broke the silence.

'The witch-queen informs me that your name is Lee Scoresby,' said Asriel. 'I've heard of you on my travels to the North.'

Lee said nothing, mostly because he couldn't think of anything to say in response. With another man he might have made some quip about his exploits being exaggerated, but Asriel's fierce gaze warned him such humour would not be appreciated.

His silence seemed to intrigue Asriel. The other man's mouth quirked up at one corner, and his eyes warmed up a fraction.

'It's good to meet you,' he said, extending a hand. 'Save Lyra, it's been years since I've met another wolfwalker. In human form, at any rate.'

Lee shook his hand, noting the firm grip. Asriel let go after a moment and looked behind Lee to where Lord Faa and Dr Van Buskirk were watching. Then Iorek Byrnison stuck his head round the corner of the boat, and Asriel raised an eyebrow.

'I can see I have a lot to catch up on,' he murmured.

'We can talk about it onboard,' said Lee. 'I'd rather keep out of sight if possible.'

'Sensible,' commented Asriel, stepping past Lee to speak to Lord Faa and Dr Van Buskirk. Lyra came hurrying up the gangplank, Serafina following behind. She glanced up at Lee a little worriedly, and he winked at her, slinging an arm round her shoulders for reassurance.

Asriel turned from his brief conversation with the other men and surveyed Lee and Lyra standing together.

'We need to talk,' he said, addressing Lee but somehow including everyone on deck. 'Lord Faa, I'd appreciate it if we can borrow your narrowboat for a short while.'

'Of course,' murmured Lord Faa, his crow daemon watching Asriel through black unblinking eyes.

'Don't you want to catch up with Lyra first?' Lee enquired, just a touch of coolness in his voice. 'She's missed you like hell.'

Asriel was mildly surprised by this suggestion, eyes flicking over Lee, as if searching for something he'd expected – a birthmark, perhaps – and finding it missing. Stelmaria didn't react at all, save for a twitching of her long tail.

'Maybe later,' Asriel said after a pause. 'First, I need to find out what has happened in my absence and where we stand in relation to the Council and the Magisterium.'

Lee felt Lyra's disappointment, radiating along his arm and into his heart. He squeezed her shoulders, trying to offer what comfort he could. Pantalaimon snuggled against Hester for the same reason. Asriel took no notice, stepping down into Lord Faa's narrowboat with careless ease, but Stelmaria paused to regard them as she walked past, her expression not entirely friendly.

'Come on,' Lee said to Lyra, letting his arm drop. 'Let's go tell him what he wants to hear and then you two can spend a bit of time together.'

Lyra nodded and vanished into the narrowboat, Pantalaimon hopping after her. Lee sighed as he watched her go.

'I get the feeling this ain't going to go too well,' remarked Hester.

'I agree with you,' said Serafina Pekkala, who was poised upon the gangplank, eyeing Lee carefully. 'Be ready if Lyra needs you, Mr Scoresby.'

The witch-queen sailed past Lee and the Gyptians and into the boat without pausing to elaborate. Lee glanced at John Faa and Van Buskirk in bemusement. The scholar looked just as puzzled, but there was a humorous, knowing expression on Lord Faa's features that made Lee feel as if some secret were being withheld from him. Without another word, the aeronaut followed Serafina into the main cabin of the narrowboat.

It was already a tight squeeze in the cabin. Tony and Ma Costa, Bram, Liam, Farder Coram and Derrick were sitting on various bunks or cushions. Serafina stood in a corner, waxing the string on her bow. Lord Asriel was standing at the far end, frowning at the assembly, Lyra waiting nearby. However, as Lee entered and made for a spare seat, she jumped over a couple of peoples' legs and settled herself on the floor beside him as she had done the previous day.

Lord Faa and Van Buskirk came in and the tall scholar settled awkwardly on a bunk end next to Liam, while Lord Faa came and sat on the seat reserved for him. Lord Asriel surveyed the room again, and turned to Lord Faa, his unspoken questions writ across his face.

'Everyone in this room is aware of what you are and what you can do, Lord Asriel,' said Lord Faa. 'I have extracted a vow of secrecy from each and every one of them, unless you state otherwise.'

'All of them know of the wolfwalkers?' muttered Asriel, not best pleased. He directed a swift glare at Lee, who sat impassive. 'Someone's been indiscreet. The more people know, the more danger we are in.'

Lord Faa steepled his hands before him.

'Do you doubt my word of honour, Lord Asriel?' he asked. His voice was soft as falling snow, yet it sent a tremor through all who heard it. It checked even Asriel's annoyance, and he turned to face the Gyptian, head bowed respectfully.

'My apologies, Lord Faa, I meant no disrespect,' he said, quite sincerely. 'Secrecy is… ingrained in me. It is essential for my – our – survival.'

'We get that,' said Lee, who was unimpressed with what he'd seen of Lord Asriel thus far. Hester nipped his ankle in warning, but he carried on recklessly. 'But the thing is, Lord Asriel, everyone here played a role in your rescue, so some thanks wouldn't go amiss right about now.'

Asriel stared at Lee. Clearly, no-one had spoken to him like that in quite some time. At his feet, Lee could feel Lyra tensing up, but he sat and stared back at Asriel, a pleasant little smile playing about his mouth. On his own, Lee might not have prevailed, but following his observation the Gyptians, Van Buskirk and Serafina Pekkala were all regarding Asriel expectantly.

'Then I offer my thanks to all of you,' Asriel said, voice rich and warm, but his eyes never wavering from his scrutiny of Lee. 'Perhaps you had better tell me what exactly happened since my capture.'

Lord Faa took charge, informing Asriel of what he knew – the rescue of the Gyptians by two wolfwalkers, their subsequent recruitment, the rescue from Jordan with the assistance of Iorek Byrnison and Serafina Pekkala, Lee and Lyra's daring venture into central Oxford to retrieve him. Asriel listened with what seemed to be habitual intensity, occasionally nodding at some detail or frowning slightly if something displeased him. He offered no commentary or further thanks, and Lee had the strong impression that Asriel accepted the risks everyone had run and the danger they'd faced as his due.

Once Lord Faa was concluded, Asriel stood, hands in pockets and mind in deep contemplation, considering all he'd learned.

'Scoresby,' he said, apropos of nothing. 'You've taken care of Lyra in my absence and orchestrated my freedom. I owe you a debt.'

'It was your girl here who recruited me,' Lee answered serenely, indicating Lyra with a jerk of his head.

'And that was well done,' Asriel said, and Lee felt rather than saw Lyra sit up a bit straighter at the praise. 'I'm curious – how exactly did she find you? We're a rare breed. Aside from Lyra, you're the first wolfwalker I've encountered in five years.'

'Well, we sort of found each other,' Lee answered, honestly enough. 'I broke curfew the first night I was in Oxford and found Lyra in the woods – though I didn't know she was Lyra then. A couple of days later, we ran into each other in town. Literally. Lyra took a chance on me and told me about you. How you were missing, what she'd done to try and find you. By coincidence, I was interested in finding a wolfwalker too, to help my friend Iorek out there. We've been partners ever since.'

Asriel raised a sceptical eyebrow.

'Why would you be seeking out a wolfwalker for the panserbjørne?' he enquired.

'He needs help from one,' Lee explained, mentally kicking himself for letting slip that little detail. 'He's got a situation at Bolvangar, where his tribe live, that a wolfwalker might be able to resolve.'

'So, why did he not simply ask you?'

'Well, I only became a wolfwalker four or five days ago,' Lee said frankly, not seeing the point in mincing matters.

Asriel's jaw dropped. The stunned expression was swiftly wiped from his face, to be replaced by a churning anger. Lee felt Lyra hunker closer to him.

'What happened, Lyra?' Asriel asked, so quietly even Hester and the wolfwalkers struggled to make the words out. Lee reached over to place a reassuring hand on Lyra's shoulder. It must have given Lyra courage, for a moment later she blurted out her confession.

'I bit him, Father,' she said. 'I didn't mean to exactly – I didn't know what it would do –'

'You bit him,' Asriel parroted, the words harsh with anger. 'But you didn't mean to. Is that all you have to say for yourself?'

'It was an accident,' Lee answered, before Lyra had a chance to speak. 'If you want someone to blame, then blame me. I broke curfew and went into the forest. Then when I saw Lyra there, I panicked her, and she defended herself. This is on me, not her.'

'After everything I told you about never biting people?' Asriel demanded of Lyra, ignoring Lee's words. 'You've turned a human! Do you know what you've unleashed here? What the consequences are going to be?'

'No, because you never tell me anything!' Lyra exclaimed, rising to her feet and glaring back at Asriel, Pantalaimon a fierce little terrier at her feet. 'You're always telling me not to do things –'

'And with good reason! Do you have the remotest idea of the forces arrayed against us? What danger we face?'

'I know more than you think! I had to protect the pack and teach Lee all by myself and get you out of Jordan!'

'Yes, and now we're lumbered with another wolfwalker who hasn't got the faintest idea of what he's become and with the wrath of the Magisterium upon us!'

'I did my best! If you'd ever bothered to explain –'

'I don't have the time to explain things to a mewling girl!' Asriel snapped. Lee sprang to his feet in outrage and the Gyptians all looked appalled. A growl of anger from Iorek reverberated from the prow.

Lyra shot her father a look of scorn mingled with furious sadness and bolted, her daemon running after her. Serafina, silent as a shadow, left her post and went to follow the young wolfwalker.

Left behind, Lee and Asriel faced each other down in the cramped confines of the cabin. If this was a shootout, Lee reflected briefly, no way would both of them emerge alive. The black devil of fury was on the loose inside him again, snarling and clawing at everything within reach. Perhaps it showed in Lee's face, for Asriel remained motionless, a catlike stillness, and said nothing.

'Your daughter rescued your sorry ass and has been fighting off every enemy you care to mention, better than most men I know could,' Lee said once he was certain he had himself under control. But although his voice was quiet, he could sense everyone in the room drawing back – aside from Asriel, of course.

'And whatever wrongs she's done me, I've forgiven them,' Lee continued. 'In fact, she's taught me more in these past few days than I learned in ten years previous. You ought to be giving her a medal, not a dressing down.'

Asriel regarded him with icy contempt, while his daemon looked down her nose at Hester.

'Oh? And what makes you qualified to judge?' he drawled. 'You know nothing, Scoresby, nothing of the wolfwalkers or my daughter – or me.'

'I'd say he knows a hell of a lot more about Lyra than you do,' stated Ma Costa, rising to her feet and standing fearlessly beside Lee. 'Judging by that disgraceful scene. And I'll have you know, Lord Asriel, that you may be an important man in Oxford and London and what-have-you, but you're amongst the Gyptians now and if you want our hospitality you'll be apologising to Mr Scoresby and Lyra in the very near future.'

Asriel chuffed a laugh of disbelief.

'Lord Faa,' he said, half-incredulously, gesturing at Ma Costa.

'This is her family home, and she outranks me here,' Lord Faa answered carelessly, also standing. 'You have long been a friend to the Gyptians, Lord Asriel, and we are grateful for all you have done for us. But if you wish to remain among us, I suggest making those apologies. Come on, everyone. Let us all go and compose ourselves before we reconvene.'

Lee was grimly amused to note that even Van Buskirk followed Lord Faa's lead and headed for the gangplank. Then Ma Costa tapped him on the shoulder, and he bent so she could murmur in his ear.

'Go and find Lyra,' she whispered. 'She'll be needing you.'

Lee nodded.

'Come on, Hester,' he said, smiling as Hester defiantly turned her flank on Stelmaria and loped easily towards the door. They crossed the gangplank in their turn and went to look for the errant wolf-girl, not knowing (and not much caring) if Asriel was watching them.

'He's what we went through hell and high water to save?' grumbled Hester as they walked. 'I liked it better when it was just us and Lyra.'

'You're not the only one, Hester.'

Author's Notes: I'm wondering if perhaps I've been a bit too harsh on Asriel in this chapter. As shown in snippets from His Dark Materials and especially La Belle Sauvage, he does have some fatherly feeling towards Lyra. My characterisation of him here is based on Asriel in the first half of The Amber Spyglass, a man so consumed with his crusade against the Magisterium that he only values human (and wolf) relations insofar as they can be of use to him. This is another reason why I made Lee a bit younger in this story - he and Asriel are going to be foils to one another, because of course, Lee's love for Lyra is his guiding principle. Let me know what you think.

Till next time, dear readers...