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〃stay； then；〃 he said。 〃but youve spoken enough。 stay quiet now。 i want to consider this proposal for a garrison on the southern border。 youve all seen the report： is it workable？ is it desirable？ next i want to look at the armory。 and then i want to hear from xaphania about the dispositions of the angelic forces。 first； the garrison。 king ogunwe？〃
the african leader began。 they spoke for some time； and mrs。 coulter was impressed by their accurate knowledge of the churchs defenses； and their clear assessment of its leaders strengths。
but now that tialys and salmakia were with the children； and lord asriel no longer had a spy in the magisterium； their knowledge would soon be dangerously out of date。 an idea came to mrs。 coulters mind； and she and the monkey daemon exchanged a glance that felt like a powerful anbaric spark； but she said nothing； and stroked his golden fur as she listened to the manders。
then lord asriel said； 〃enough。 that is a problem well deal with later。 now for the armory。 i understand theyre ready to test the intention craft。 well go and look at it。〃
he took a silver key from his pocket and unlocked the chain around the golden monkeys feet and hands； and carefully avoided touching even the tip of one golden hair。
lord roke mounted his hawk and followed with the others as lord asriel set off down the stairs of the tower and out onto the battlements。
a cold wind was blowing； snapping at their eyelids； and the dark blue hawk soared up in a mighty draft； wheeling and screaming in the wild air。 king ogunwe drew his coat around him and rested his hand on his cheetah daemons head。
mrs。 coulter said humbly to the angel：
〃excuse me； my lady： your name is xaphania？〃
〃yes；〃 said the angel。
her appearance impressed mrs。 coulter； just as her fellows had impressed the witch ruta skadi when she found them in the sky： she was not shining； but shone on； though there was no source of light。 she was tall； naked； winged； and her lined face was older than that of any living creature mrs。 coulter had ever seen。
〃are you one of the angels who rebelled so long ago？〃
〃yes。 and since then i have been wandering between many worlds。 now i have pledged my allegiance to lord asriel； because i see in his great enterprise the best hope of destroying the tyranny at last。〃
〃but if you fail？〃
〃then we shall all be destroyed； and cruelty will reign forever。〃
as they spoke； they followed lord asriels rapid strides along the wind…beaten battlements toward a mighty staircase going down so deep that even the flaring lights on sconces down the walls could not disclose the bottom。 past them swooped the blue hawk； gliding down and down into the gloom； with each flaring light making his feathers flicker as he passed it； until he was merely a tiny spark； and then nothing。
the angel had moved on to lord asriels side； and mrs。 coulter found herself descending next to the african king。
〃excuse my ignorance； sir；〃 she said； 〃but i had never seen or heard of a being like the man on the blue hawk until the fight in the cave yesterday。。。 where does he e from？ can you tell me about his people？ i wouldnt offend him for the world； but if i speak without knowing something about him； i might be unintentionally rude。〃
〃you do well to ask；〃 said king ogunwe。 〃his people are proud。 their world developed unlike ours； there are two kinds of conscious being there； humans and gallivespians。 the humans are mostly servants of the authority； and they have been trying to exterminate the small people since the earliest time anyone can remember。 they regard them as diabolic。 so the gallivespians still cannot quite trust those who are our size。 but they are fierce and proud warriors； and deadly enemies； and valuable spies。
〃are all his people with you； or are they divided as humans are？〃
〃there are some who are with the enemy； but most are with us。〃
〃and the angels？ you know； i thought until recently that angels were an invention of the middle age； they were just imaginary。。。to find yourself speaking to one is disconcerting； isnt it。。。how many are with lord asriel？〃
〃mrs。 coulter；〃 said the king； 〃these questions are just the sort of things a spy would want to find out。〃
〃a fine sort of spy id be； to ask you so transparently；〃 she replied。 〃im a captive； sir。 i couldnt get away even if i had a safe place to flee to。 from now on； im harmless； you can take my word for that。〃
〃if you say so； i am happy to believe you；〃 said the king。 〃angels are more difficult to understand than any human being。 theyre not all of one kind； to begin with； some have greater powers than others； and there are plicated alliances among them； and ancient enmities； that we know little about。 the authority has been suppressing them since he came into being。〃
she stopped。 she was genuinely shocked。 the african king halted beside her； thinking she was unwell； and indeed the light of the flaring sconce above her did throw ghastly shadows over her face。
〃you say that so casually；〃 she said； 〃as if it were something i should know； too； but。。。 how can it be？ the authority created the worlds； didnt he？ he existed before everything。 how can he have e into being？〃
〃this is angelic knowledge；〃 said ogunwe。 〃it shocked some of us； too； to learn that the authority is not the creator。 there may have been a creator； or there may not： we dont know。 all we know is that at some point the authority took charge； and since then； angels have rebelled； and human beings have struggled against him； too。 this is the last rebellion。 never before have humans and angels； and beings from all the worlds； made a mon cause。 this is the greatest force ever assembled。 but it may still not be enough。 we shall see。〃
〃but what does lord asriel intend？ what is this world； and why has he e here？〃
〃he led us here because this world is empty。 empty of conscious life； that is。 we are not colonialists； mrs。 coulter。 we havent e to conquer； but to build。〃
〃and is he going to attack the kingdom of heaven？〃
ogunwe looked at her levelly。
〃were not going to invade the kingdom；〃 he said； 〃but if the kingdom invades us； they had better be ready for war； beca