Nearing the climax:
Only one thought nags at her, but Lyra smiles wryly when she realizes that this one disturbing, all-consuming thought encompasses all of her divergent concerns.
Is she playing God?
Is she, the girl who does not believe in God, whose whole society and culture dismisses the notion of an ephemeral, all-knowing being in charge of life and fate and destiny and death, the one who must decide who lives and who dies?
If Moto [the bad guy] dies, so too, does David [the good guy]. As well as the guards and anyone else on the island. She condemns them all to death.
If Moto lives, nameless, faceless people from both the First World and the Second World will die. She condemns them to death.
Lyra must decide if Moto will live or if Moto will die. There is no third option.
I can’t wait to read what happens next! How will Lyra get out of this one? How can she save the day and save David?
Oh… wait…
I still have to write it.