"I think so," Lyra bemusedly replied as she eased back and scrubbed a hand across her face. Truthfully, she still felt a bit wonky and the problem wasn't even close to being solved, but she also felt refreshed, refocused, drawn away from the edge of a remarkably self-pitying state.

"My God, I'm starved." Only as she spoke the words did her belly fully understand just how famished she truly was. Lyra'd had nought but a bit of fruit before that horrid run in the sweltering heat, and that emptiness was probably partially to blame for her feeling light enough to be carried away on a slight draft.