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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

‘First of all there was the Rus. I can tell you this, it’s Palla who’s been the leader among the priests in our dealings with them. He’s worth ten of that flabby drunken fool Angulli. And then this business of the great walk. As soon as I floated the idea, he was immediately able to come up with the analogy with Jesus. He’s a sharp man, for all his mild looks – a man who knows how to use his religion for the good. I think he could be priceless in the months, the years to come. But you have his life in your hands, and he knows it.

‘I understand how you feel. Well, I don’t, it’s never happened to me. You want him dead. And you know what – I want him dead, in a way. Cheating on a serving soldier is despicable. But look, Kassu, you’ve done your duty in the past. I’ve seen it with my own eyes. Not just in the lines, but taking on your farm too. If we had a thousand like you maybe we wouldn’t have to move at all. Now I’m asking you to think about your duty again, before you decide what to do about the priest.’ He stepped back. ‘All right? Good man.’ He clapped Kassu on the shoulder, and turned to walk back to the pavilion.

Kassu had to ask one question. ‘Sir – will the walk happen? Will we leave Hattusa? Has it been decided?’

Himuili looked back at him. ‘Ah. If we don’t have to walk you’ll be free to get the priest topped. Is that what you’re thinking? We resolved to wait until the spring. If it looks like a good season, we’ll stay and make the best of it. If it’s bad . . .’ He grinned. ‘I suppose Palla will be praying to Jesus for the snow. Now get on with it.’

‘Thank you, sir—’

‘Shut up.’

TWO

TWO

22

The Second Year of the Longwinter: Spring Equinox

All across the northern lands people watched for the end of a terrible winter. The scholars examined their almanacs, the farmers eked out the last of their stores, the hunters prepared for the migration of the animals they preyed on, and the warriors sharpened their blades in advance of the new campaign season.

But this year was to be like none that had gone before, not for ten thousand years. This year the growing masses of ice on land and sea, cloaked with cold air, would significantly divert the currents of air and moisture that flowed over them. This year the spring winds would not come from the balmy south-west, but from the chill north. There was a spring equinox. The planet’s orbital geometry mandated it. But there was no spring.