Chapter Seven, Mary, Alone Summary

Dr. Mary Malone is traveling on foot through other worlds and is identified as the tempter. An old couple in this world are scared when they first see her, but the Specters in the trees flee as Dr. Malone arrive, so they feed her and want her to stay. Mary has seen this more than once; Specters leaving her alone, gangs of children orphaned by the Specters, and a few terrified adults.

Mary is on her own and all she knows to do is find Lyra and Will, and to play the serpent, which is what her computer told her when she was in her lab. She has brought her I Ching tools with her, the Book of Changes and the yarrow stalks for reading. She uses the pattern formed by the sticks and reads the commentary...