Beauty in the grave

st was t

peac

t s

mp

from something long extinguished. Her boots barely made a sound on the mossy floor. In h

owers were the

w where love h

opened into a small glade where grass grew taller than her knees,

ddle of it all,

s Fe

her. Brave

begun to grow in the cracks. Lyra knelt, her knees sinkin

r voice caught in her throat

't cry.

t was

Things are falling apart, and I... I don'

d stirred

cheek, trying

the flowers, so still it migh

eat

la

li

ro

ound. No sound. No rea

nge, almost magnetic pull-when a v

s talk to

to her feet,

arms crossed. His usual sm

he said, pressing

stepping closer. His gaze dropp

ead. "No. It was

amine it. His exp

ietly. "A crow feather on a F

or what?"

belong near the dead," he

again, a voice rang th

yr

less, eyes wide. "You have to come. Ja

y r

imbed to a ridge overlooking the village. Jasper stood n

oo

closer and

clean. A black string was tied around it, and strange

ood ra

e this near my fathe

," came a voi

oke-slow, wise, unstoppable. Her silver hair was tied back

said. "This is sealing

r what?" J

idn't answ

ed toward

her voice like st

ot die. Or something tha

turned

"I need to go back.

y. But the grave was

nts circled

ge.

inh

ong. Impos

la

here before,"

e sniffed the gro

east. This thing... it doe

ord already drawn. His voice was like

red at t

rs brushed

as w

wa

uried here," she sai

d, alarmed. "Lyra...

as alread

d fast, tearing a

ed her. Th

arthed something ha

bo

, soaked in

rapped around i

ybe-were tied into the cor

tepped for

u open this... something may be f

"If my father hid this, I

rds. They fell aw

creake

si

he

dr

shriv

l be

l

iber

fia

ed. "That's

d. "Is thi

rt beat

st

st

h

tst

Dra

ng cl

rom the shadows

Fami

d w

n was t

s-black,

ere damp with

knees w

she whi

an sm

asn't hi

as c

cki

mp

Elias said, steppi

raised h

e he wanted to speak-but no

p forward. "He's tryi

s voice cut t

ather. That is some

he box began t

nother

w gr

m the p

the t

ng, ancient-rumbled

ot yours

le man

one t

ees ex

leapt from

the ground, eyes glowing white-hot. Its fur was as black

roa

round

rest h

scr

world w