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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

It was fruitless, of course. Despite the courtly politeness and the elaborate exchange of gifts, there could be no peace; the Hatti could not withdraw from the field, and the Carthaginians could not afford to open their gates. The meeting ended in pleasantries, and no agreement. This had been the pattern of the whole campaign season.

The very next day the Hatti launched another attack.

61

In Carthage, the cry of alarm went up before dawn.

Nelo, in the barracks he shared with a hundred soldiers just inside Carthage’s walls, heard it echo from watchtower to watchtower, and then within the city itself, along the streets and alleys, in the market squares and temple places. And he thought he heard shouts and screams.

Gisco was on his feet, fully armed. It was as if he never slept. ‘Up! Up, you buggerers, up you get, on with your boots and your scabbards.’

Suniatus rolled out of bed and belched, and from paces away Nelo could smell the stale wine on his breath. ‘Those Hatti ball-sacks sound like they’re having another go, Sergeant.’

‘So they are, lad.’

‘What’s our assignment?’

‘We’re going up one of the gate towers. The scouts have been here with the news. Lads, this time the Hatti have managed to get the gate itself open, and they’re already swarming in the city like maggots in a corpse.’

‘What? How? Those gates have stood all summer.’

Gisco laughed as the men hurried to piss in their night pots, to dress, to find their boots and helmets. ‘All summer! That’s what I like about you, Suni. A real sense of history, just as the general once said to you. Lad, those walls have stood a thousand years without being breached. Even the Muslims couldn’t knock them down when they came calling. And they haven’t fallen now. The problem is somebody has conveniently opened the gate. Just a crack, but that’s all that was needed.’

‘Who did it, Sergeant?’

‘Doesn’t matter. What does matter is that the Hatti have to be stopped. And they’ll be stopped by us. You too, Nelo, get that coat of mail on, I’m sure your lord and master will want a scribble of what’s to be done today. And, you never know, you might decide you’d like to share in a bit of fighting after all. Right. All ready? To the gate – this way.’

Without looking back, he led the troops out of the barracks. The men, some still buckling armour or fixing their helmets, followed Gisco at a trot through crowded streets. Nelo ran with the rest.