Part 1, Chapter 8 Summary

Lyra has difficulty accepting that Mrs. Coulter is her mother, and feels very confused about the matter. The search for her continues, with airships crisscrossing the cloudy skies above the fen. Ma Costa recounts the duel between Edward Coulter and her father, who knocked a gun out of Coulter's hand, then used the gun to shoot Coulter between the eyes. Lyra attempts to understand the alethiometer, and practices focusing on questions, but is unsuccessful at getting a reading.

Three days pass, then another roping is called. During the roping, the heads of each of the six families places a bag filled with their pulled gold in front of John Faa, then announces the number of men he will add to the rescue effort. The total number of men for the expedition is one hundred and seventy. Faa decides that rescuing Asriel...