Lyra grips the top rail of the bench until she is calm enough to speak again.

"Tell them about Milliways," Pantalaimon suggests. "That was different."

Lyra closes her eyes, thinking. "I found a place, last summer. Through a door into another universe. I hoped I'd find you there, but you weren't there, and no one had heard of you... The people were friendly. I met a girl there who--"

She breaks off, looking suddenly uncertain, afraid, and much younger than sixteen.