BooksBarbecue
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

‘Yes. As you know, even the first landing was a battle that would dwarf most in human history. Then it was a question of securing our position, of building the harbour to accommodate the hordes who followed us, and preparing for the greater war to come.’

‘Your harbour is impressive.’

‘We used Northlander engineers, and their expertise in growstone. We are involved in tremendous undertakings, General.’

‘Indeed. You spoke of the King. Uhhaziti is the crown prince, as the whole world knows. Since the death of My Sun the King Hattusili—’

‘There will be no coronation until this migration is done,’ Arnuwanda said. ‘Uhhaziti has insisted on it. He will be crowned in Carthage, on the Byrsa, and anointed by the Father of the Churches when your greatest temple has been rededicated to the worship of Jesus Sharruma. Not until then.’

Fabius nodded gravely. ‘And I, of course, will stop that from ever happening.’

‘We understand each other,’ Arnuwanda said. He glanced curiously at Nelo. ‘Do I recognise this boy?’

‘He serves me.’

Mago took the chance to push himself forward, and spoke in Carthaginian. ‘The boy answers to me; I am his commander. He is a Northlander. You may remember him from that chilly place. And me, perhaps, Prince?’

Arnuwanda stopped, and studied Mago, and replied in the same tongue. ‘I think I remember you. Your name, though . . .’ He hesitated, an obvious bit of play-acting.

Mago, infuriated, snapped out his name. ‘My father is—’

‘Yes, yes. So we meet again. Fate draws us all together, it seems. Well—’ and he switched back to Nesili, ‘—let us walk on and talk some more, Fabius. It’s refreshing to hear a Latin accent, frankly. So much more melodious than the coarse Can’nai tongue of these fellows . . .’

57

The Hatti’s new city had no name. This, it seemed, was deliberate, a signal of its impermanence; it was an undertaking the size of New Hattusa itself, but it was only a way station on the road that led to Carthage. The core of it, however, was a military camp, and Arnuwanda led Fabius’ party through the wider suburbs to that austere heart. They had to leave the bulk of the Carthaginian force outside, including Mago, who fumed as Nelo walked on at Fabius’ side, with the Carthaginian dignitaries and under the great banner of the joined gods.