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it was another three days walk。 well； they were getting there。
and so were others。
lord asriels force； the squadron of gyropters and the zeppelin fuel tanker； had reached the opening between the worlds： the breach in the sky above svalbard。 they had a very long way to go still； but they flew without pause except for essential maintenance； and the mander； the afric king is ogunwe； kept in twice…daily touch with the basalt fortress。 he had a gallivespian lodestone operator aboard his gyropter； and through him he was able to learn as quickly as lord asriel himself about what was going on elsewhere。
the news was disconcerting。 the little spy； the lady salmakia； had watched from the shadows as the two powerful arms of the church； the consistorial court of discipline and the society of the work of the holy spirit； agreed to put their differences aside and pool their knowledge。 the society had a swifter and more skillful alethiometrist than fra pavel； and thanks to him； the consistorial court now knew exactly where lyra was； and more： they knew that lord asriel had sent a force to rescue her。 wasting no time； the court mandeered a flight of zeppelins； and that same day a battalion of the swiss guard began to embark aboard the zeppelins waiting in the still air beside the lake of geneva。
so each side was aware that the other was also making its way toward the cave in the mountains。 and they both knew that whoever got there first would have the advantage； but there wasnt much in it： lord asriels gyropters were faster than the zeppelins of the consistorial court； but they had farther to fly； and they were limited by the speed of their own zeppelin tanker。
and there was another consideration： whoever seized lyra first would have to fight their way out against the other force。 it would be easier for the consistorial court； because they didnt have to consider getting lyra away safely。 they were flying there to kill her。
the zeppelin carrying the president of the consistorial court was carrying other passengers as well； unknown to him。 the chevalier tialys had received a message on his lodestone resonator； ordering him and the lady salrnakia to smuggle themselves aboard。 when the zeppelins arrived at the valley； he and the lady were to go ahead and make their way independently to the cave where lyra was held； and protect her as well as they could until king ogunwes force arrived to rescue her。 her safety was to e above every other consideration。
getting themselves aboard the zeppelin was hazardous for the spies； not least because of the equipment they had to carry。 apart from the lodestone resonator； the most important items were a pair of insect larvae； and their food。 when the adult insects emerged； they would be more like dragon…flies than anything else； but they were not like any kind of dragonfly that the humans of wills world； or lyras； would have seen before。 they were very much larger； for one thing。 the gallivespians bred these creatures carefully； and each clans insects differed from the rest。 the chevalier tialyss clan bred powerful red…and…yellow…striped dragonflies with vigorous and brutal appetites； whereas the one the lady salrnakia was nurturing would be a slender； fast…flying creature with an electric blue body and the power of glowing in the dark。
every spy was equipped with a number of these larvae； which； by feeding them carefully regulated amounts of oil and honey； they could either keep in suspended animation or bring rapidly to adulthood。 tialys and salmakia had thirty…six hours； depending on the winds； to hatch these larvae now； because that was about the time the flight would take； and they needed the insects to emerge before the zeppelins landed。
the chevalier and his colleague found an overlooked space behind a bulkhead； and made themselves as safe as they could while the vessel was loaded and fueled； and then the engines began to roar； shaking the light structure from end to end as the ground crew cast off and the eight zeppelins rose into the night sky。
their kind would have regarded the parison as a mortal insult； but they were able to conceal themselves at least as well as rats。 from their hiding place； the gallivespians could overhear a good deal； and they kept in hourly touch with lord roke； who was aboard king ogunwes gyropter。
but there was one thing they couldnt learn any more about on the zeppelin； because the president never spoke of it： and that was the matter of the assassin； father gomez； who had been absolved already of the sin he was going to mit if the consistorial court failed in their mission。 father gomez was somewhere else； and no one was tracking him at all。
．。
TEN … WHEELS
。
〃yeah；〃 said the red…haired girl； in the garden of the deserted casino。 〃we seen her； me and paolo both seen her。 she e through here days ago。〃
father gomez said； 〃and do you remember what she looked like？〃
〃she look hot；〃 said the little boy。 〃sweaty in the face； all right。〃
〃how old did she seem to be？〃
〃about。。。〃 said the girl； considering； 〃i suppose maybe forty or fifty。 we didnt see her close。 she could be thirty； maybe。 but she was hot； like paolo said； and she was carrying a big rucksack； much bigger than yours； this big。。。〃
paolo whispered something to her； screwing up his eyes to look at the priest as he did so。 the sun was bright in his face。
〃yeah；〃 said the girl impatiently； 〃i know。 the specters；〃 she said to father gomez； 〃she wasn afraid of the specters at all。 she just walked through the city and never worried a bit。 i ain never seen a grownup do that before； all right。 she looked like she didn know about them； even。 same as you；〃 she added； looking at him with a challenge in her eyes。
〃theres a lot i dont know；〃 said father gomez mildly。
the little boy plucked at her sleeve and whispered again。
〃paolo says；〃 she told the priest； 〃he thinks youre going to get the knife back。〃
father gomez felt his skin bristle。 he remembered the testimony of fra pavel in the inquiry at the consistorial court： this must be the knife he meant。
〃if i can；〃 he said； 〃i shall。 the knife es from here； does it？〃
〃from the torre degli angeli；〃