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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

Much of the floor space was empty. But to the rear of the room was a collection of domes and boxes of clear glass, big structures that towered over the servants that fussed around them, adjusting bits of tubing, peering at instruments, making notes on clay tablets. A man came walking towards them from this assembly, not tall, middle-aged, with the round face, olive skin and tonsured hair of a Mongol. Servants trailed him, eyes respectfully downcast.

Pyxeas hurried forward, his gait clumsy, almost a limp. After enduring such a journey the old man could barely make the last few paces, and Avatak felt a stab of affection for the brave, vulnerable scholar.

‘Bolghai! My dear fellow. It has been much too long, too long.’ Pyxeas grasped the Mongol’s hands in his. ‘Ten years, is it, since you graced us with your presence?’

‘More like fifteen, old chap,’ said the Mongol, grinning.

Uzzia murmured to Avatak, ‘Even here the scholar speaks in his native Northlander and expects to be understood and answered in the same – and he is!’

Pyxeas introduced his ‘dear travelling companions’, and Coldlander and Hatti bowed to the Mongol. ‘My good friend Bolghai, with whom I have corresponded for many years, is one of the finest scholars of his generation – no, Bolghai, do not be modest – and he is a Mongol! A cousin of the Khan—’

‘A rather distant cousin. But Buyantu is kind to me, as you can see from the facilities he grants.’

‘Bolghai is a Mongol prince but educated by the best teachers the court could find, and he has further broadened his mind by travelling far beyond the reach even of the Khans’ conquering armies. All the way to Northland, in fact. The result is a fine intellect.’

‘Fine for a Mongol, you mean.’ For an instant there was tension, before Bolghai grinned.

Pyxeas scolded, ‘Now don’t you go trying to trip me up like that, you rascal. Show me your investigations into fixed air. I’ve come rather a long way to see them.’

Led by Bolghai, who walked slowly to allow for Pyxeas’ pace, they headed towards the cluster of apparatus at the rear of the room.