Even though these chapters are brimming with story and characters, we cannot stop talking about daemons and The Breathless Ones.
Lyra has just snuck away from Mrs. Coulter’s cocktail party after learning two upsetting facts: Mrs. Coulter was planning on using Lyra to help the Gobblers take more children for the Oblation Board and Lord Asriel is being held prisoner in Svalbard by a group of armoured bears called the panserbjørne. Lyra and Pantalaimon stay away from the well-lit embankments of the river, choosing to move between the back alleys and dark streets of London. For the first time, Lyra feel disoriented and out-of-sorts. While looking for a safe place to sleep, Lyra and Pan are almost captured by two men using throwing nets, but are saved by three dark men armed with knives and a bow. The man with the bow turns out to be Tony Costa, one of the Gyptians from Oxford, and big brother to Billy, who was taken by the Gobblers. Lyra explains how she got to London and reveals Mrs. Coulter’s plan to use her to capture more children but she does not mention the alethiometer or Uncle Asriel to the Costas. Tony reveals that they captured a Gobbler and know that the children are being taken North, but nobody can figure out what happens to them once they are there. Lyra quickly acclimates to living with the Gyptians but must often reside below deck because Mrs. Coulter and the police are looking for her. After a few days, Lyra learns that The Costas are bringing her with them to a meeting of all the Gyptians, who are under the control of a man called Lord John Faa. At the meeting, which is called a Roping, Lord Faa rallies his people to send a band of men north to rescue all of the kidnapped children. Afterwards, Lyra goes to meet John Faa and Farder Coram, a wise and kindly old Gyptian man. Farder Coram explains that he has known about Lyra since she was a baby, and has been keeping his eye on her. He reveals that Lyra is really the illegitimate daughter of Lord Asriel and Mrs. Coulter, and that she was cared for as a baby by a Gyptian woman when she lived with Lord Asriel, but had to move to Jordan College with the Master after Lord Asriel killed Mr. Coulter. At this, Lyra tells Lord Faa and Farder Coram about the alethiometer. Farder Coram explains to Lyra how the alethiometer works, then he and John Faa discuss the Master’s possible motives for giving it to her. As the conversation comes to a close, Lyra asks out of curiosity who the woman was who nursed her and is told that it was Ma Costa. After the meeting, Ma Costa is waiting outside the door and gives Lyra great hugs and kisses before sending her off to bed.