Disclaimer: I do not own the His Dark Materials series.

A/N: Hello, readers! Here is another chapter to our story, from mostly Lyra's POV this time. Sorry for the delay – work has been crazy! But I've been working on this and have the next couple chapters already planned out. Let's just say this won't be the last we hear of Serafina :)

Luxurious Lies

28.

Tracing Tricks

Free from the ship and frolicking through vast, flowered meadows on the outer landscapes of Brytain, Lyra inhaled the sweet, tantalizing scent and spread her arms wide, embracing the heat of summer. After spending so much time in the barren regions of the North, Lyra yearned to have the sun shine on her skin and make it all brown and sleek. That was the one thing she loved about Oxford and hated about the North, and as she tilted her head up and soaked up the rays, she never wanted that moment to end.

"Lyra." Confused, Lyra looked around, not knowing where the voice came from. It was low and strong, and it wasn't a voice she heard very often. Even Pan stopped in his pursuit of a butterfly to stare up toward the sky. They didn't know if they were being followed or if the flowers talking or what. "Lyra, wake up."

Suddenly, the cerulean blue of the sky faded to a sharp, deep black, and Lyra opened her eyes. As they focused, a face started to materialize in front of her. Lyra naturally assumed it was Mrs. Coulter and felt herself already feeling warm and fuzzy, waiting for her mother's fingers to run through her hair and for her lips to brush against her forehead. But when her eyes fully adjusted, she recognized the sharp, beautiful face of Serafina Pekkala, and Lyra's curiosity was instantly piqued.

"How are you feeling, Lyra?" Smiling softly, the witch moved to sit down at the foot of Lyra's bed, her dark eyes flickering over Lyra's flushed, moist face and her damp, sweat-dripped clothes. Her daemon wasn't with her, but as Lyra had learned, that was common for a witch. Their daemons were able to fly hundreds of miles away from them without causing the striking, unbearable pain that Lyra would experience, and the feat impressed Lyra in an eerie way. Even if she could do that, Lyra wasn't entirely sure if she'd ever want to.

"I'm okay," Lyra answered, though just then, another cough consumed her. Those coughs were the absolute worst, and as Lyra continued to hack up phlegm and as her throat continued to burn and feel scratched, Pan tried his best to comfort her by licking her face and nuzzling into her chest. So far nothing had been able to soothe her itchy, miserable throat, and Lyra wished more than anything that Mrs. Coulter could find her some sort of medicine.

"You certainly don't seem to be doing too well." Serafina said it as more of an observation than a contradiction, and with surprising tenderness, she reached over to massage Lyra's throat. After a few moments, the coughing stopped, and Lyra stared at her in amazement.

"What did you do?" Nothing had worked before that – nothing! Mrs. Coulter and Lord Asriel had been trying everything for days!

"I soothed your vocal cords by connecting to your inner spirit."

"Oh," said Lyra, disappointed that it was something only a witch could do. Serafina had all sorts of strange, mysterious powers, and she knew it wasn't something Mrs. Coulter or Lord Asriel could do for her.

"Now that at least your throat feels better," Serafina continued, her eyes moving from Lyra's throat to her eyes, "there's something we need to talk about."

Again, Lyra's fascination was piqued, and she merely stared at the witch. Since the moment they met, Serafina had captivated Lyra. It wasn't the same captivation Lyra had experienced with Mrs. Coulter – it was different. There was something awe-inspiring and powerful about Serafina, and Lyra loved the way she treated her like an adult and an equal. It was if she valued and respected who Lyra was and what she could do, and that was something that only a few adults in her life actually did.

"This is going to sound surprising, but I promise you that it's the truth." Serafina paused, her voice low. "Lyra, your father and I are in love."

Love? Pan stuck out his ermine head, and Lyra thought she must have heard her wrong. In fact, she almost laughed at the joke. Love? Love between Serafina and Lord Asriel? That was impossible. Why would she even say that? Serafina loved Farder Coram, and Lord Asriel loved –

We don't know if he loves Mrs. Coulter, Pan thought quickly, the tip of his tail twitching. He told her he was going to turn her in when we dock, and haven't we spent the past several weeks running away from one or the other? Doesn't it seem like they hate each other since they never want to be together?

He had a point. Could Lord Asriel have moved on to love Serafina? But what about Farder Coram? Their love seemed to be so strong…

Maybe… thought Pan, terror flowing through both him and Lyra. He didn't even need to finish the thought; Lyra understood, and she didn't want to even think about something happening to Farder Coram.

"Lyra?" The witch snapped Lyra out of her thoughts, and she found Serafina gazing at her again, though softly this time. "I know this is hard for you to process, but I feel that it's very important for you to know that Asriel and mine's relationship will not take away any love that he has for you. In fact, I've actually already grown quite fond of you, and I can't imagine you not being with Asriel and I."

Being with her and Asriel? Pan was starting to panic as he wiggled around in Lyra's arms. What does that mean? Are they running away somewhere? Are they leaving the Gyptians and leaving Oxford? Are they going back to Trollesund?

Everything was happening too fast. It was all happening too, too fast. Lord Asriel had never even mentioned Serafina, but now they were in love? This couldn't be true. Lyra felt Pan's fur fluff out next to her, and she knew without reading his thoughts that he too was completely and utterly confused.

"But what about… Mrs. Coulter?" As soon as Lyra uttered the words, she immediately wished that she hadn't. Serafina's face dropped and a feral, wicked look fluttered across it. Lyra had never seen something so beautiful look so maliciously ugly, but after a moment, the look vanished.

"Be rest assured that you'll be safe from her when you're with us." She paused and smiled, reaching down to fix a loose strand of Lyra's hair. Shuddering slightly, Lyra recognized the act to be something that Mrs. Coulter did when she was trying to persuade you to think a certain way. "I daresay Asriel is ready to have her arrested for all of the evil things she's done, so she won't be a threat to you for very much longer."

Lyra felt her face flush and then drain of all color, her heart pounding and her daemon scratching wildly at her skirt. Her head felt as if it was splitting and as if it would burst, but before she could say anything, it happened.

"Serafina." The door swung open, and Lord Asriel swept into the room, Stelmaria prowling out behind him while she uttered the faintest trace of a growl.

Oh, this was very confusing. Serafina had said that she and Lord Asriel were in love and were going to spend the rest of their lives together, yet there he was, glaring at her as if he hated her! And also, Lyra realized, her eyebrows furrowing, what about Mrs. Coulter? She knew she and Lord Asriel didn't get along, but she knew that Mrs. Coulter wanted Lyra to live with her back in Brytain. They'd spent countless hours discussing where they could move and what kind of things they could do, but now she was supposed to live with Lord Asriel and Serafina? None of it made any sense!

"Asriel." Serafina's voice was warm and affectionate, but Lyra could tell that she was surprised. "I thought you were going to speak to Lord Faa in the chart room?"

"I told you not to bother Lyra," he said, completely ignoring her question. Standing there, tall, broad shouldered, and unshaved, Lyra thought he could appear very intimidating. "She still isn't feeling very well."

"I can see that," said Serafina, "but I only wanted to –"

"Enough!" Lord Asriel's voice was harsh, and by the quick fade of Serafina's smile, she could tell that something was wrong. "I don't know how to tell you, Serafina, but the truth is that I –"

Suddenly, the door swung open and a giant thud reverberated through the small cabin. Looking away from Lord Asriel, Lyra's eyes widened as she took in the long, lithe shape of Mrs. Coulter and the sparkling form of her golden monkey daemon.

With Pan clinging from her neck, Lyra watched as Mrs. Coulter dropped the heavy-duty pot and stepped away from the now still form of Serafina Pekkala.

Lord Asriel was also watching Mrs. Coulter, and after he registered what had happened, he moved over to her. Their lips met, and Lyra could feel the anbaric charge between them as their hands wound over each other's bodies and their daemons wrestled on the ground, biting and scratching each other.

That's what love truly is, Pan thought, his fur now snowy white. Not whatever Serafina thought. Just look at them!

But Pan, Lyra interrupted, her eyes again focusing on Serafina's motionless body, What did she do to her? Is she… Dead?

Naw. In a flash, Pan transformed into a moth and flew over to the witch, fluttering close. She's still breathing, so she's probably just knocked out cold. Did you hear the thud of that Pan? Mrs. Coulter whacked her hard!

"Lyra," said Mrs. Coulter, bringing Lyra out of her thoughts. Her mother came over to her, and as Mrs. Coulter put a hand on Lyra's cheek, she couldn't help but feel the hot, burning sensation in her throat. She choked back the tears that threatened to run free, but she just couldn't take it anymore; it was just too much.

"I know, darling." Mrs. Coulter was there, her warm body pressed closely to Lyra's as she held her. Without meaning to, Lyra felt herself choke even more as the tears actually came pouring out, and she felt Mrs. Coulter's hands on her head as she buried her face in her chest, ashamed and still so very confused.

If Lyra were to be honest, she didn't want to leave Mrs. Coulter. When she ran away from her back in Trollesund, she had simply misunderstood the situation. She should have known that Mrs. Coulter would never hurt her, and she hated herself for running away in the first place and dragging Mrs. Coulter into this mess with the Gyptians and now Lord Asriel. Pan flew over to her, transforming into a mouse as he ran down her collar and cuddled close to her pounding heart, loving her back to herself just as Mrs. Coulter was.

"I know," Mrs. Coulter repeated, making soft, sympathetic sounds in her ears. "I know, darling. It's alright now. I'm here, my love."

"I don't want to go with Serafina Pekkala," Lyra finally stuttered, lifting her up to stare into those achingly familiar blue eyes.

"What?" Mrs. Coulter seemed genuinely surprised, and her daemon let out a shrill hiss.

"Is that what she told you?" That was Lord Asriel, moving from examining Serafina to standing beside Mrs. Coulter.

"Yeah," Lyra responded, hiding her face in Mrs. Coulter's embrace again. She was a tough, strong-willed girl no doubt, but sometimes, it was all just too much. "She said you was going to take me with you and arrest Mrs. Coulter."

Lyra's mother and father exchanged a long, hard look, and though Mrs. Coulter still hugged Lyra and stroked her hair, Lyra could feel her stiffen. "That's not going to happen, Lyra. The witch was mistaken. Now, I know you don't feel good, darling, and I know you've just been through quite the ordeal, but we need to leave. Immediately. It's not too long before her daemon comes flying back to find her."

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"What are we going to do, Asriel?" Her voice was almost a whisper as she held Lyra close on the row boat, and Lord Asriel kept rowing, squinting into the darkness in front of them.

They had packed all their bags and slipped out of the cabin before anyone could miss them. They had laid Serafina on Lyra's bed, but quite honestly, Lord Asriel didn't know what he was going to do about her. He had worried that something like this was going to happen ever since their first encounter in the chart room, and now it happened – a witch offered her love to him, and he refused her. And now, with his child and former mistress in tow, he betrayed her.

The ways of the witches was something no human could possibly fully understand. Their love was so fierce and so exclusive that nothing could stop it, especially not existing love. From what Lord Asriel knew about the concept, his type of situation didn't seem to happen very often.

Existing love? He felt Stelmaria sneering at him. Is that what you call it between you and Marisa?

Truth be told, Lord Asriel didn't really know. He had kissed Marisa back in the cabin – he had really kissed her – but he didn't know how he felt. A part of Lord Asriel knew that he still loved Marisa Coulter and perhaps always would love her, but another part warned him not to trust her. Again and again she had deceived him and betrayed him, but still he kept falling back into her outstretched arms, like the fool that he was.

"What we should have been doing all along," he finally answered, aware of her beautiful eyes trained intently on him. He took a deep breath and faced her. "We're going back to Oxford to figure out how we can shut down the Magisterium and all their experiments."