Chapter Nine: Gold, and Gold

Amid chaos in the embassy garden, Lyra hides in the shrubbery as gryphons swoop. She is joined by Asta, Malcolm’s dæmon, who becomes “Afra” to pose as Lyra’s dæmon. They trade urgent news: gryphons prize gold, one stole Lyra’s alethiometer earlier, and multiple gryphons have taken Malcolm. Asta believes Malcolm, and perhaps Pan, are not in immediate danger.

Carried by a gryphon, Malcolm observes a coordinated flight to hills southeast of the city. There, Pantalaimon reunites with Malcolm and introduces the gryphons’ hierarchy. Prince Keshvād decrees Malcolm will be flown to Queen Shahrnavāz at Damāvand because he is “gold.” Pan learns the gryphons intend to keep Malcolm as treasure; he negotiates respectful treatment and to accompany him. Malcolm asserts calm authority, promising “gold of knowledge” to the queen, and they depart on Prince Keshvād’s back.

Meanwhile, Lyra and Asta track the Office of Right Duty (Bureau d’Obligation Correcte) to the nuncio’s palace, after coaxing directions from a policeman. Posing as housemaids, they slip past guards into service corridors and descend to a basement of cells.

At the final cell, Lyra confirms Ionides is inside. With Asta keeping watch, Lyra uses the salvaged alethiometer needle to carve out the lock, struggling until she corrects her focus and calmly slices through the deadbolt. She opens the door to find Ionides badly beaten but alive.

As Lyra helps Ionides sit up, vowing retribution for his injuries, a bell peals through the building and a woman appears in the doorway, demanding to know who they are and what they are doing, cutting the escape short.