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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

‘No, it’s not clear, is it? Ah, these academics. So poor at expressing themselves, for all their wisdom. Mind you, I suspect Pyxeas is too wily to say it straight out. I’m only guessing myself, Nelo. I was never in Pyxeas’ confidence after all. But I’ve had to read it through to have it copied, and I think I know what it’s about.

‘Look, boy – have you ever heard of the House of the Crow? One of our more secretive orders, who kept their knowledge hidden in chambers deep within the Wall. Knee-deep in espionage they were. And hidden programmes of study and scholarship, too, out of sight of the rest of the world – indeed the rest of Northland. I think this is one of their secrets.’

Nelo found a more comprehensible passage, about making some kind of great barrel. ‘ “In the absence of cast iron, for none in the world between Etxelur and Cathay have that secret, have the craftsmen take iron rods and hammer them flat around a wooden former, and then bind them with white-hot iron bands which will contract when cooled, gripping tightly. Then remove the former. The barrel should be thick-walled at its base . . .” ’ His imagination caught, he immediately began to sketch the iron device, as best he understood it. ‘What kind of secret?’

‘A devastating secret. A destructive secret. A secret that Northland has gathered to its growstone bosom for millennia, to be kept from the rest of the world to avoid harm being done – and, frankly, when necessary, to be used to save us. So it was in the time of the Cursed Milaqa, it is said, and so, perhaps, it is now. Look, Nelo, even if I never find your mother, you must take this knowledge and use it. Talk to other Northlanders. Find an engineer – you know, someone who used to work on the Wall pumps or the Iron Way engines, who will understand all that about making the barrel. There must be some here. Start the work. In secret, of course, but there are plenty of Northlanders here and many of us have the resources to do it.’

‘I still don’t understand.’

Ontin smiled. ‘We are far from home. Your great-uncle is even further away, by all accounts. None of us can go back, perhaps not ever. But, I think, even so, your uncle is trying to save us all . . .’

‘The general!’ Nelo heard Gisco’s peremptory orders, and then the trumpet blast. ‘The general is coming! Out, out, on your feet, and you can put that away for a start, Suniatus . . .’

Ontin looked confused. ‘General Fabius?’

‘A snap inspection.’ Nelo scrambled to his feet, stuffed the letters and his sketches into his satchel, and without another word ran out to join his comrades, as they lined up before the barracks hut.

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