CHAPTER 2- THE GOLDEN WARNING

Lyra once again woke up staring into her fa… uncle's eyes. She cursed herself, as she could consciously remember other Lyra's memories of Lord Asriel now. It was so confusing and she had no idea how to feel about him. In one world he was distant, frightening but somewhat caring uncle and in the other, he was if not frightening at least respectable father, who was always there if he didn't have to work.

"We are here," he said and his normally harsh voice almost sounded soft this early in the morning. She swiftly got up as the excitement ran through her. She looked out of the window, the London in short distance, growing. She was struck with amazement from this new place. She knew every street in Oxford. And maybe, one day, she could know London just as well.

Another memory was brought to the front of her consciousness as her hand started pounding all over again. She didn't want to show any more weakness but she couldn't help and grimaced at that. Lyra really tried to be discreet as she rubbed her forehead, but it didn't escape the attention of Stelmaria, who softly growled and Lord Asriel was looking at her intently when she finally turned around, her face stoic mask, as she tried not to show any sign of discomfort. Pantalaimon, shadowcat, growled back at Stelmaria, but it was a careful growl, almost curious.

"How often do you have headaches?" asked her uncle carefully.

Lyra just shrugged. "Not that often. They're more of the matter of last few days, really. It's nothing."

He frowned, visibly unsatisfied with her answer, but said nothing. Lyra just thought about other London. She immediately spotted many similarities, even from the distance, but differences too. And there were so many. Two worlds were just shaped differently and one small choice leads to another as two towns grew in different directions. It was kind of enlightening, this new look at the world. But also terrifying. She thought about the city in the sky and Dust passing from one world to another, once again thinking that she had to find out more about this mysterious Dust. The way scholars were talking about it, and it had to be important and if Lord Asriel of all people researched it...

"I have to be in the White Hall soon. I can't take you to the meeting itself but there are places to see in the building itself. You can find interesting things if you will be discreet. There's also a library, although if I remember correctly, you are not really a keen book reader."

I really wasn't. But I'm not so sure anymore. About anything. She smirked. She had to find about the Dust anyway. "Sounds good to me."

A small smile formed on Lord Asriel's lips as they finally stopped. He motioned in her direction. "Come on. We have to go. I have a meeting to attend."

She looked at him curiously with the corner of her eye, remembering how he talked about needing to sleep for three days. Yet, here he was, attending political meetings in little time he had before his next expedition. How childish it was, living a carefree life in Jordan! Disobeying everyone around her, not wanting to learn anything that wasn't necessary for the middle of all that knowledge. How much time did she waste? She remembered other Lyra, striving for knowledge, reading every book she could get her hands on, occupying her father's precious free time asking him to explain this or that.

"What is it?"

"I'm just so... childish."

"You are still a child. And I'm glad for that, even if this isn't the safest time to be one. Admitting it is one of the most adult things you can do. We all have to remember who we are and we shouldn't try to hide it. Our daemons will tell the whole world anyway and then we just seem dishonest. That doesn't mean we can't try to be better. To change. And one of the many advantages of being a child is that it is much easier to change. Unfortunately, most people don't recognize their mistakes until it's too late. I made a terrible mistake years ago. I don't regret it, but now I know I could have handled things differently."

"But daemons of adults can't change, can they?"

"You see Lyra, that's where most people are wrong. Even if daemon it's settled, it can continue to grow. Sometimes it can slightly change its body color or eyes color. And sometimes, under a lot of pressure, maybe some traumatic on in other way life-changing experience it can even transform into different species. It isn't unlimited, of course. Look at Stelmaria. Maybe she could change into a tiger in very specific circumstances, but it is impossible for her to change into a dolphin. Even slight changes are very rare and dangerous. I've seen one daemon die after he changed just from one dog race to another. But it isn't impossible. Do you know that Butler's daemon wasn't always a setter?"

"Really?"

"No. It was just some common dog, but his daemon changed when he acquired his position."

"I have never known that."

"It was never something he loved to talk about. He never liked to be reminded that once he was just some common servant."

She didn't even notice the building they were going into. It was inconspicuous from the outside, but inside nearly took her breath away. They were suddenly in a long hall. Nearly everything was made of white marble and there were doors everywhere. One of the servants immediately rushed to welcome Lord Asriel. They talked for a few moments, her uncle pointing at her at some point. Then he just tapped her shoulder and left her there. He went to the door at the end of the hall without the slightest hint of hesitation. She stood there for a minute but then went to search for the library. Everyone seemed to already know that she arrived with Lord Asriel and they left her alone. She was free to do what she was best at. She made sure to scan every single one of the doors before she settled for the library. She spent a lot of time in the library, mostly with scholars who tried to teach her this or that, but she could count the times when she deliberately tried to find a particular book on one hand. Her counterpart from another world, however...

She was walking between the shelves like a born librarian. Lyra quickly found the section about experimental theology but proceeded carefully from there on. The way scholars talked about Dust, the way Lord Asriel didn't want to talk about it suggested that it was an obscure topic to say at least. She didn't want any questions, especially considered that she had very limited knowledge on the actual topic of experimental theology. The Cassington Scholar told her it was just kind of a fairy tale and she was very keen to believe him. She casually walked past the section, while Pan was looking around at the titles, sitting on her shoulders in the form of tomcat.

"There," Pantalaimon whispered into her ear as they neared the end of the section.

She quickly grabbed the book Pantalaimon spotted while walking, trying to hide it as best as she could. She took a seat in the very back of the library, brought her feet on the armchair so she could hide the title of the book and slowly opened it. She noticed that the book looked recently printed and Pantalaimon didn't find any other books on the topic of Dust. She turned first few pages and she started reading. And she read. She read about Boris Mikhailovitch Rusakov and she read about original sin. She read about hideous experiments from middle-ages and about new concepts that people suggested could replace them. She involuntarily shivered. To separate a child from his daemon... It was disgusting.

"I didn't think many children even heard about Dust." She rubbed her forget as the random memory flashed through her mind. Too quickly to recognize what it was about without thinking about it. Still, it was strong emotion attached to it that worried her.

Fear.

Lyra was sure, that even if there was an infinite number of her, they would have one thing in common. They were no cowards. And so when she felt fear so intensely she knew this woman meant nothing short of mortal danger. There was the only thing she could do. Lord Asriel told her to be honest about who she was, but that didn't mean she had to be honest about everything else. She carefully changed her face to a mask of total confusion.

"Everyone knows about dust, madam." Pantalaimon did everything he could to not move as he lay on the ground in the form of a shadowcat.

"Yes, I suppose that child who came here with Lord Asriel would think that. You came with Lord Asriel, didn't you? Everyone was talking about you, so I had to find you myself. My name is Marisa Coulter. It's nice to meet you."

She reluctantly took her hand, knowing that she had to play along. Lyra's face radiated with innocence as she continued with her lies.

"But madam, of course, everyone knows about dust. Servants sweep it off the shelves every week and we cough if there's too much of it. But now you, as well as this book talk about it as of something obscure. There is this section, about the guy that was supposed to discover it, and it is really confusing. I can't wrap my head around it. I keep rereading it over and over and I can't get to the next section."

Ms. Coulter was just smiling and nodding as Lyra was talking and gesturing, trying to explain her confusion. She seemed to believe her, although her daemon, golden monkey narrowed her eyes.

"Oh, my dear. I think there was a misunderstanding between us. As you can see, that book is really confusing, certainly not meant for children. If you want, I will help you find a much better book about dust, what do you say?"

She gave her the book without hesitation. She read all important parts anyway. What was left unread were just parts when some obviously religious scholar talked about the God and heaven and hell and how are we all doomed if don't find a way to get rid of the Dust.

"Marisa." She never heard so much hatred concentrated in that harsh voice. She didn't hear so much hatred concentrated in any voice, period.

"Asriel."

"What are you doing here?"

"I am here to see your... family I presume?"

"Well, you can see her later. We are kind of in a hurry."

"I'm sorry to hear that. But I'm sure I'll see her again. She will be at the Jordan college when you leave for the North, right? I wasn't there for almost eleven years. I was planning to visit it soon anyway. Maybe I could take Lyra with me for at least a few weeks. I'm sure she would like to see everything I would show her."

Lord Asriel froze on the spot as Lyra felt a new wave of hatred radiating from him. This one wasn't controlled and she could see Stelmaria openly growling now. It went away as quickly as it came, and Lord Asriel quickly grabbed her, turned and started to walk away, holding her wrist harshly, as if afraid she would run back to Ms. Coulter if he slightly released his grip. He didn't have to be afraid of that, though. Lyra's mistrust was only deepened as their conversation went on. Pan was jogging in the form of a shadowcat on one side, Stelmaria on the other.

"You won't let her take me, will you?"Lyra asked as her uncle slowed down a bit and released her hand free. She tried to shake it out. He almost broke it. He glanced at her curiously.

"You don't like her?"

Lyra just shrugged. She couldn't very well explain to him why she wasn't fond of her from the very beginning. She could, however, imagine that the woman was charming for many. "There is just something about her rubbing me the wrong way."

"Of course I won't. Although it, unfortunately, means you can't go back to Jordan. It's no longer safe."

Lyra bit her lip. Jordan was her home and if she couldn't go to expedition she would like to stay there. But the fear of Ms Coulter was still very much present so she didn' protest. "So where can I go?"

"I don't know, child. I honestly don't know. Now, tell me, what did you learn about Dust."

Lyra managed a small smile. "I read everything except those rumblings about how we are all doomed."

Lord Asriel shortly laughed. "I thought you might go find a book about it as soon as the opportunity comes," he said amusedly but then frowned. "Although I couldn't predict who will catch you reading it. I would rather be if you didn't persuade the topic anymore, Lyra. I would be surprised if you found any other eleven years old aware of the existence of Dust. You have time. Wait at least a few months. Although, I can answer any question about that alethiometer of yours. There are also different books about it than the one you snatched from the library. More advanced. I don't know why would Master give it to you, but you might as well try to learn how to use it."

"Were you looking through my things?"

"I didn't need to," answered her uncle calmly. He didn't elaborate further though, once again frustrating her to no end.

"So how long will you stay before going North?"

"Maybe a week. I need to prepare some things. And I need to figure out what to do with you."

Lord Asriel's apartment was spacious and luxurious, but strangely impersonal. She supposed it would look something like that with all that time he had spent on the expeditions. Lord Asriel wasn't a sentimental man in the first place. She sat on the armchair near the fire, reading a book she had sneaked from the Jordan. Lord Asriel was meanwhile preparing for his next expedition, writing letters, planning routes, talking with a lot of people. Lyra was curious, but he didn't look to be in a mood to be distracted so she just quietly sat and watched what he was doing. She could now understand the concept behind the alethiometer and she knew it worked thanks to Dust, but the book didn't have any further instructions on how to use it. She took it from her pocket every once in a while and opened it, staring at it as time ran bys. Lord Asriel never said a word, mostly leaving her alone, although sometimes he looked at her curiously. It was late afternoon when he finally stopped, put his hands above his and yawned as some big cat. He was obviously tired and his daemon was urging him to stop for quite some time. He took a break from work, but it didn't mean he would just sit and relax.

"Come on, child. I will take you outside. You didn't come to London to sit inside and read a book."

She was glad that she could finally go outside. Reading book was alright and alethiometer fascinated her, capturing her attention like almost nothing else could, but it started to get boring. She was even looking through Lord Asriel's books but most of them were on the topics she was never really interested in and they were well advanced, lacking any basics. Although she did, in fact, find some books she could imagine herself reading even now.

"Do you like it?"

"Of course. It's different than Oxford, I don't know it's secrets but I guess that's part of its charm. It's the opportunity to learn all those things once again. It looks kind of distant though, not like Oxford."

"You know Oxford. You belong there. You are watching London from outside, not inside." Lyra had to admit that he knew London very well.

"And what about you? Do you look at London from the inside?" asked Lyra, honestly curious.

"I used to. I lived here for some time when I was a child. But I don't really spend here so much time anymore. It has changed while I was gone. I feel more home in the North, honestly. But I will never be part of the true North. Now I'm just person in the world, I guess. I lost something, but I gained something back and I can't say I ever regretted it. I sometimes feel sorry for not belonging to one particular place anymore, but to regret it? No."

Lyra was looking at him curiously. He never really talked to her like that before, there wasn't time for that anyways. But now that he finally talked, she could understand him a little bit more. She didn't doubt he was still the same man whose daemon hurt Pantalaimon yesterday after he got angry or the one who almost broke her wrist today, but she also realized that it was also much more complicated.

Her uncle took her to see some important buildings, most of which she remembered from other Lyra's memories. He also showed her hidden streets where he spent time as a child. Somehow, she felt like on a real expedition. And she had a whole new city to explore. She could spend years looking for every secret London had to offer. Pantalaimon was running around, constantly changing his form to better fit his environment. In the end, he settled for the cat as he jumped around excitedly, to the amusement of both Lord Asriel and Stelmaria. It was dark outside when they finally came back to Lord Asriel's apartment and Thorold was already waiting for them. He didn't go with them directly to London as he ran some errands for Lord Asriel, but he was back now. It was almost midnight when she lay in the soft bed. She almost thought that he wouldn't have a spare room in his apartment, but he surprisingly had a place for her to stay. But he had money after all, so there wouldn't be the reason for him not to have it. There had to be some important people visiting him. She was calm when she fell asleep, completely exhausted. She was curled around Pantalaimon, a big white wolf who was as exhausted as she was.

It was her room. He had it made years ago when he bought this apartment after acquiring some of his lost wealth back, but he never expected her to actually sleep in it. Sometimes he hoped that maybe someday she could. But at the same time, he didn't want to take responsibility for her, or to form some bond that would make him act irrationally. And there were people who wouldn't allow it. She was safe at Jordan, safer than she could ever be with him and that was enough. But everything changed today. He was actually glad that he took her to London. He would just go north and the Coulter woman could just take her without any warning. He was reminded today exactly why he hated her so much. She was dangerous. For most people only until they saw behind her charm if they ever did. Yet he saw behind that charm and she was so deadly to him all the same.

"We have to keep her safe, Stelmaria."

"Is it even possible with them going after her?" Stelmaria was strangely calm. As if she had already found a solution, yet she had opted not to tell him.

"I don't know. You have something in mind?"

"Maybe. You wouldn't like it."

"I bet I wouldn't. Still, you know the stakes."

"There's still some time left. You will think of it eventually." There was a long pause before Lord Asriel decided to speak again.

"Why now, Stelmaria? All those years and now she just walks back to the girl's life, challenging me, acting like she can take her away anytime. And the worst thing is that maybe… just maybe, she really can."

"Then perhaps it would be much safer for her to be in the world without Coulter?"

"She won't approve. You know she won't. She is just a child. Doesn't understand that some things have to be done no matter what. We don't know all the details, but we know what kind of sacrifice we need."

"A child."

"Yes."

"Does she have to now?"

"How exactly would you plan to keep it secret from her? She is not exactly stupid."

"No. But she idolizes you most of the time."

"She doesn't know me. I would have to spend time with her. A lot of time. It will be a miracle if she won't come to hate me in the end."

"And when exactly did it matter to you? She will be safe."

"Never."

"So, when will you tell her?"

"I still want to think about it. Maybe we could take her to gyptians? They had a certain interest in her if I remember correctly."

"They're not strong enough to protect her it if Coulter really wants to take her."

"Still, I want to think about it. It won't hurt anyone."

"Just you. You should make up your mind and rest."

"Should I? Well, the fact is, Stelmaria, that I still have a work to do."

"The fact is that you are sloppy and ineffective when you are exhausted and you know it as well as I do. Don't be irrational, Asriel." The angry look that Asriel gave Stelmaria was mirrored in his daemon face. He calmed down a bit and laughed shortly. Arguing with his own daemon about sleep. That was just ridiculous.

"Look at us, Stelmaria. Maybe we really need a sleep before anything else."

"I should think so."

He saw her growing up and he saw what she had the potential to be. Yet, he was stunned at how much she has grown up since the last time he has seen her. He watched her as she read his books in her morning, her daemon in front of the armchair in the form of white shadowcat. She studied math, and armored bears. She read about north and about the alethiometer. And he watched her in the afternoons, exploring London with the white cat right behind her, climbing the rooftops when she thought he wasn't watching. Her daemon still hasn't settled and Lord Asriel would be surprised if he did anytime soon, but he didn't seem to change his form that often and Asriel was glad for it. He couldn't be entirely sure what was her mother capable of and he knew he hadn't had a long time before someone would try to take Lyra from him. Coulter was just one of the candidates.

The week had flown by and his preparations were almost over. It was time to talk to Lyra. He made his decision three days ago and he knew himself enough to be sure that he won't be changing his mind, but he remembered Lyra as a child that was making up stories, boasting to everyone around her so he still didn't completely trust her to keep a secret, even if she was constantly proving him how much she has grown up. Lord Asriel almost felt guilty. Almost. He just couldn't risk it.

"Lyra."

"Yes, uncle Asriel?" he could never stop bitterness every time she called him uncle. Magisterium did this. Coulter did this. Her daemon, once again in the form of shadowcat, lazily sat up and twitched his ears as she put her book aside.

"You remembered how I told you that you can't go back to Jordan?"

"It was kind of hard to forget." He just smirked as she looked at him with the mischief in her eyes. Cheeky brat. Sometimes she reminded him how Marisa was before she was obsessed with the church. Marisa that was free.

"I came to the conclusion that it would be the best to hide you in the plain sight."

"Meaning? That I'm going back to Jordan anyway, but as a kitchen servant?"

"That would be one solution. But no, I had something different in mind."

She didn't answer. She and her daemon just looked at him curiously. He wouldn't do it if she was the same girl he talked with almost a year ago, no matter the circumstances. But now he knew that she was ready and Magisterium won't soon have any power over them anyway.

"Do you still want to go to the North with me?"