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Back Iron Winter Save as PDF
Chapters (89)
  1. Title page
  2. Contents
  3. Map
  4. ONE
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. TWO
  27. 22
  28. 23
  29. 24
  30. 25
  31. 26
  32. 27
  33. 28
  34. 29
  35. 30
  36. 31
  37. 32
  38. 33
  39. 34
  40. 35
  41. 36
  42. 37
  43. 38
  44. 39
  45. 40
  46. 41
  47. 42
  48. 43
  49. 44
  50. 45
  51. 46
  52. 47
  53. THREE
  54. 48
  55. 49
  56. 50
  57. 51
  58. 52
  59. 53
  60. 54
  61. 55
  62. 56
  63. 57
  64. 58
  65. 59
  66. 60
  67. 61
  68. 62
  69. 63
  70. 64
  71. 65
  72. 66
  73. 67
  74. 68
  75. 69
  76. FOUR
  77. 70
  78. 71
  79. 72
  80. 73
  81. 74
  82. 75
  83. 76
  84. 77
  85. 78
  86. 79
  87. Afterword
  88. By Stephen Baxter
  89. Copyright

From the ocean Rina could see little more than the blank face of a tremendous wall rising to seal off the shore, brilliant white in the watery sun. Behind the wall were low hills encrusted with stone buildings. From one tall mound rose a slim pillar bearing the statue of a man, or a god, evidently a huge monument to be visible from so far away. The sea before this walled shore was crowded with shipping; this close to land most of the ships had their sails trimmed, and she could see oars working along the length of their hulls.

The day was warm, though the sky was veiled by thin, misty cloud that softened the sunlight. This was the coast of Africa, she reminded herself. She had no idea what a ‘normal’ summer day here should feel like.

Pushing her windblown hair out of her face, Alxa pointed. ‘I think that pillar is at the top of the Byrsa, the old citadel. And the hero on the top is Hannibal, son of Hamilcar, conqueror of Latium and saviour of Carthage.’

Nelo was silent, withdrawn, adding cramped little drawings to the corners of his overfull sketchbook. Alxa was more alive, Rina thought. Interested, engaged. ‘How do you know so much, child?’

‘Because while you spent the journey sulking in our cabin, and my brother here has been scribbling, scribbling, I’ve been talking to people. Especially the Carthaginians. Finding out stuff. Learning the language. Don’t you think it’s a good idea, if we’re going to spend the rest of our lives here?’

Of course it was. The problem for Rina was that she had lived all her life in a stratum of Northland society where people had been expected to learn her language, not the other way around.

Nelo just stared at the city blankly. ‘It is a great stone tomb,’ he said. ‘Dead, where Northland was alive. It will swallow us up like a sarcophagus.’

Rina said, ‘We will find a way. You’ll see.’ On impulse she took his hand.

He looked at her, surprised. She wasn’t the kind of mother to make such gestures. He withdrew, gently, and there was an awkward silence.

Alxa just laughed and turned away. The boat sailed on.