Chapter 48

• “Leave it alone, Lyra,” he said harshly. Lyra knew she should just be quiet and drink her mint tea but she couldn’t stop herself from replying in a heated tone, “Maybe if you just talked to him, explained how he’d hurt you—”
• “He’d what, apologize?” Viktorground out. “Give me back my half of his large cartek wrapped in a nice gold bow?” His lips twisted. “There must be limits even to your optimism.”
• She looked up quickly, her cheeks hot. “You keep telling me to be honest, to be brave and bold, but what have you done lately that was any of those things?” He looked at her.