A witch's plight

Once back in Cittagazze Will collapses from exhaustion.

Serafina arrives. She has been searching for Lyra and is delighted to have found her.

Serafina tells Lyra the story of her and Father Coram. How witches are prone to fall in love with mortal men even though it will always end in heartache. Serafina explains that she met Father Coram when she was 200 and he was 20. She’d fallen and injured herself and he cared for her as she healed. She bore a son, and as she describes to Lyra, it is the witches plight that girl children grow up to be witches but boy children remain mortals. Their son died young of a fever. Father Coram never really recovered and he never fell in love again.

The rest of the Witches arrive and they explain to Lyra they are there to protect her wherever she goes. The alethiometer directs them to the blue mountains across the bay.