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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’s magnificent!’ cried Angulli, and he half-stood and raised his cup. ‘More wine, boy. I say, more wine! For tomorrow we will be warming our feet in the smoking ruins of Carthage itself.’ And, overcome, he fell back, tipping over his chair. Guards rushed to his aid, and the gathering broke up in confusion.

21

While the chaos inside the pavilion was sorted out, Kassu waited outside, in snow that was gathering despite the efforts of frantically sweeping slaves.

At last Himuili came striding out, blowing on his hands. ‘Shut up,’ he said, before Kassu could say a word. ‘Listen to me, soldier. You asked for my advice. Far be it for me to lecture you on the state of your marriage. My two previous wives will assure you I’m no expert on that. I’ll tell you this, though. Our laws on marriage here in Hattusa, and our customs too, are pretty civilised, at least compared to some shitholes I’ve fought in. The Germans, for instance – well, never mind. Civilised – you know what that means, man? Liberal. Practical. Fair to all parties.

‘Having said that, and I consulted a lawyer friend, I can tell you this. You do have a right to prosecute your wife and her lover for their adultery. If you can gather the evidence, and since they both seem to be admitting it that won’t be a problem, you’ll secure a conviction. And then you’ll be able to request the sentence.’ He said this last heavily, emphasising every word. ‘For that is the way we Hatti do things. And you know what the maximum is, don’t you? Tell me, man.’

‘Death. For either of them—’

‘Shut up. No. Not for either. For both. Both or neither, and that’s the law. If you want to punish your wife for spreading her legs for this Jesus-chaser – well, that’s up to you, but he goes with her. If you want to take revenge on him – fine, that’s your choice. But you can’t keep her, you lose her too. Understood? Good. Shut up.

‘Now here’s the next thing.’ He moved subtly closer to Kassu; he smelled of leather, woodsmoke, the expensive wine he’d been drinking with the queen. ‘Here’s why I’m bothering to speak to the likes of you on such a day as this. No matter what you may think of Palla, and I tend to agree with you that he’s a horny little bastard who needs his arse kicking, I dragged your sorry weight along with us today because I wanted you to see what he can do. Do you understand?