e dirt under Lyra's

hadn't r

them over and over, half-expecting more grime to appea

up, Rowan had s

waking was starting to blur. There were

the

seen the

his time-but in the

Knew the strange intensity of them. They burned g

Blackt

head tilted like he was listening to something the rest of them

something shifted behind his eyes.

replaced by his

ight?" h

she replied, the

u were running in y

. "How do yo

her. "Saw you in class. Head twitching. B

ing. "You were w

aintly. "Yo

ng and sleep-talking. All I need n

ped. The s

joking,"

kno

g a decision, he said, "Meet me after school. By th

d an eyeb

stop dreaming until you und

sign in her body, Lyra

it to be. Not even birds sang. Only the wind moved, whi

s, hair tousled by the breeze. He looked like

toward a narrow deer trail

going into the f

he said over his shoulder. "

ollow

r they went, the more the light faded. The trees cl

now this plac

here," Rowan

he wo

rrected. "But the f

. At the center stood a large stone-half-covered in moss, carved with

s this

arker," Rowan said

Hol

forest. Back when they still respecte

ed. "What

n, his gaze heavy. "

ran down

" she said. "Why are

"the curse that runs in your f

yone in town knows about the Hale

hesi

ulled up

gas

into the skin-twisting like vine

enteen," he said quietly. "The same

ra echoed, he

up to hers. "I'm

fell lik

But his face didn't change. His voice hadn't

to believe that

ou feel the pull of the moon, even if you don't know why." He stepped closer. "Yo

hat's insane. My mom-she n

. "She ran from the curse. From her bl

pressed it to the s

hing stirred deep inside her. A low v

hand back. "W

Rowan said. "It's wait

ed back i

e of the trees, Lyra stop

to your blood. And because something is

hen-not with pity,

he only one who might

, Lyra cou

indow for hours, w

midnight, the

me, she was

e, she u

as a

was cal