Chapter Thirty-One, Authority's End Summary

Mrs. Coulter leads Metatron to the fissure in the rock Lord Asriel is exploring. Metatron says he could kill Asriel right now, but Mrs. Coulter begs the favor of being allowed to see Asriel's face as he learns she has betrayed him. Metatron senses her divided loyalties, but she is able to rally and hold him off. Metatron is overwhelmed by his need to kill Lyra and to have Mrs. Coulter as his lover, so much so that he does not know what she is up to.

Mrs. Coulter goes to Asriel. They talk and stand in a shower of Dust. Mrs. Coulter knows they will not die and then move on like the ghosts, but instead they are about to go through something much worse than death in order to save Lyra: they must fall into...