Chapter 8

Chapter eight, The others quickly fell asleep but Lyra tossed and turned, her thoughts jumping about between Misty and the treasure map. The night felt like it was going on forever. At five o'clock she sat up and looked through the window at the stars twinkling in the frosty sky. A full moon was shining down. I can't stay in bed any longer, she thought. I've got to see Misty and say I'm sorry. She quietly pulled on her jodhpurs and hoodie and crept out of the dorm. The early-morning air was icy-cold and her breath froze in white clouds as she ran across the grass towards the stables. As she got closer, she paused. A unicorn with a long purple and green mane was creeping through the stable yard. "Misty!" Lyra exclaimed. "Where are you going?" Misty jumped guiltily. "Lyra!" "What's going on?" Lyra ran over, her feet crunching on the grass. Misty hung her head and mumbled, "I… I'm going home." "Going home?" Lyra stared at her. "What do you mean?" Misty gulped. "I'm missing my family and, well… I think you'd be happier if you were paired with another unicorn. Someone brave and adventurous, like you." Lyra stared at her. "But I don't want any other unicorn. I want you. You're perfect for me." Misty shook her head. "I'm not. I'm boring." She heaved a sigh. "Don't

其他人很快就睡着了，但莱拉辗转反侧，思绪在米斯蒂和藏宝图之间跳跃。 那一晚好像永远都不会结束。 五点钟的时候，她坐起来，透过窗户看着星星在寒冷的天空中闪烁。 一轮满月正照耀着大地。 我不能再躺在床上了，她想。 我得去见米斯蒂，向她道歉。 她悄悄地穿上马裤和卫衣，蹑手蹑脚地走出宿舍。 清晨的空气是冰冷的，当她穿过草地奔向马厩时，她的呼吸被白云冻结了。 当她走近时，她停了下来。 一只长着紫色和绿色长毛的独角兽正在马厩的院子里爬行。 “雾!”莱拉喊道。“你要去哪儿？”米斯蒂内疚地跳了起来。 “莱拉!”“发生什么事了？”莱拉跑了过来，双脚踩在草地上嘎吱作响。 米斯蒂低下头，喃喃地说：“我……我要回家了。” “回家?”莱拉瞪着她。 “你是什么意思？”雾一饮而尽。 “我想念我的家人，嗯……我想如果你能和另一只独角兽配对，你会更快乐。” 像你一样勇敢冒险的人。” 莱拉瞪着她。“但我不想要别的独角兽。 我需要你。你对我来说是完美的。” 米斯蒂摇了摇头。“我不是。 我无聊。”她叹了口气。 “别

try to stop me, Lyra. It's best if I just go home." Lyra planted herself in front of her unicorn. "Stop right there. You're not going anywhere, Misty," she said forcefully. "I don't want another

想办法阻止我，莱拉。我最好还是回家吧。” 莱拉站在她的独角兽面前。 “到此为止。你哪儿也不能去，米斯蒂。”她强硬地说。 “我不想再要了

unicorn and I'm really sorry about what I said yesterday. It was stupid of me. I was angry and I took it out on you, and that was wrong. You're not boring. You're brilliant and I love you!" Misty looked at her through her long eyelashes. "Really?" she said tentatively. "Really," Lyra told her. She put her arms round Misty's neck. "Please will you stay?" Misty rested her face against Lyra's chest and gave a deep, happy sigh. "Yes," she breathed. Lyra felt a rush of relief. "Thank you. I really couldn't bear it if you left. I'm so sorry you're feeling homesick." She stroked Misty's silky mane. "You told me you were missing your family and I should have listened. Is there anything I can do to help?" "Just knowing you want me to stay helps," said Misty softly. "I do miss my family but I won't miss them quite so much now I'm sure that you really want me to be your unicorn." "I really do, and anytime you want to talk about your family, I promise I'll listen," said Lyra. She kissed Misty's forehead. "I can't wait to meet them. And for you to meet my family too." They stood there for a long moment until Lyra realised that her toes and fingers were turning to ice. "We'd better go inside. It's freezing out here." They walked back to the stables, Lyra's arm over Misty's neck. Misty glanced at the still dark sky. "Why are you up so early?" she asked. "I couldn't sleep. I was thinking about you and wanting to say sorry and also thinking about the treasure map. I have to search those caves again in case we missed something but the others want to wait until the weekend." Lyra sighed. "I know it's only a few more days but yesterday our dorm was ransacked and I'm worried that someone else is also after the map." Misty stopped. "Then let's go now." Lyra frowned. "What?" "To the caves. You and me," said Misty, nuzzling her. "If you really want to go back there, then I'll come with you." "Really? Let's do it then! If we're quick, we might even be able to get back in time for the treasure hunt. I'll need to get my explorer's bag first, though; you know, the one with all my useful stuff like torches, a compass, supplies—"

独角兽和我真的很抱歉我昨天说的话。 我真愚蠢。我当时很生气，把气撒在你身上，那是不对的。 你一点也不无聊。你很聪明，我爱你！”米斯蒂透过长长的睫毛看着她。 “真的吗？”她试探地问。 “真的吗？”莱拉对她说。她搂着米斯蒂的脖子。 “请你留下来好吗？”米斯蒂把脸靠在莱拉的胸前，幸福地深深地叹了口气。 “是的，”她喘着气说。莱拉感到一阵如释重负。 “谢谢。如果你离开，我真的无法忍受。 我很抱歉你想家了。” 她抚摸着米斯蒂柔滑的鬃毛。 “你告诉我你很想念你的家人，我应该听你的。 有什么我能帮忙的吗？”“只要知道你想让我留下来就很有帮助了。”米斯蒂温柔地说。 “我确实想念我的家人，但我不会那么想念他们了，我相信你真的想让我成为你的独角兽。” “真的，任何时候你想谈论你的家庭，我保证我会倾听。”莱拉说。 她吻了吻米斯蒂的额头。 “我迫不及待地想见到他们。 也让你见见我的家人。” 他们在那里站了很长时间，直到莱拉意识到她的脚趾和手指都变成了冰。 “我们最好进去。外面太冷了。” 他们走回马厩，莱拉的胳膊搭在米斯蒂的脖子上。 米斯蒂瞥了一眼依然漆黑的天空。 “你怎么起这么早？”她问。 “我睡不着。我在想你，想跟你道歉，同时也在想那张藏宝图。 我得再搜索一遍那些洞穴，以防遗漏什么，但其他人想等到周末。” 莱拉叹了口气。“我知道只有几天了，但昨天我们的宿舍被洗劫了，我担心有人也在找地图。” 雾停了下来。“那我们现在就走吧。” 莱拉皱起了眉头。“什么?”“去洞穴。 你和我，”米斯蒂说，用鼻子蹭着她。 “如果你真的想回去，那我就和你一起去。” “真的吗?那我们就开始吧！如果我们动作快，也许还能及时赶回去参加寻宝活动。 不过，我得先去拿我的探险包；你知道，就是那个有我所有有用的东西的房间，比如火把、指南针、补给——”

"Go and get it," Misty interrupted. "Hurry!" A smile lit up Lyra's face. "Misty, you're the best!" Lyra hugged her then raced back to the school. Sienna, Evie and Ivy were still fast asleep as Lyra tiptoed in and took her rucksack from under her bed. But Evie, in the bed next to her, stirred as she picked it up. "Lyra?" Lyra froze. Sleepily Evie propped herself up, blinking at Lyra through the dark. "What are you doing?" "Nothing," Lyra whispered. "Go back to sleep." Evie nodded and curled up under her duvet again. With her heart beating at double speed, Lyra crept out of the dorm. She raced across the grass to where Misty was waiting. "Got it!" she whispered, holding up her bag. She vaulted on to Misty's back. "Let's go!"

“去把它拿来。”米斯蒂打断他。 “快点!”莱拉的脸上露出了笑容。 “米斯蒂，你是最棒的！”莱拉拥抱了她，然后跑回学校。 西耶娜、艾薇和艾薇还在熟睡中，莱拉蹑手蹑脚地走了进来，从床底下拿出了她的背包。 但在她旁边的床上，艾维在她捡起它的时候动了一下。 “莱拉?”莱拉愣住了。困倦的艾维撑起身子，在黑暗中对莱拉眨着眼睛。 “你在干什么？”“没什么。”莱拉低声说。 “回去睡吧。”伊薇点点头，又蜷缩在她的羽绒被里。 莱拉的心跳加快了一倍，蹑手蹑脚地走出了宿舍。 她跑过草地，来到米斯蒂等着的地方。 “明白了！”她小声说，举起包。 她跳到米斯蒂的背上。 “我们走吧!”