0385755430.(F) by Philip Kerr

Author:Philip Kerr [Kerr, Philip]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780385755450
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Published: 2014-03-24T22:00:00+00:00

KALINKA WAS TREMBLING INSIDE her Astrakhan coat for almost an hour after the wolf attack; it was as if she’d had an electric shock, and although she had not slept in more than twenty-four hours, she now felt wide awake. This was just as well, as there was still a long way to go before they were safely off the steppe, and when the dawn came to expose their insignificance in that vast, open space, Kalinka saw quickly just how vulnerable they were. There was nowhere to hide—not a tree nor a bit of shrubbery nor a dip behind a hill that might have concealed them from anyone in pursuit. What was worse, a blind man could have followed their trail: the tracks in the snow were like some evil serpent that continually threatened to betray them. Every time she turned to look at their tracks, what she saw made her feel almost sick.

“If only it would snow again,” said Kalinka, eyeing their trail uncomfortably. “Or if only it could get a little warmer and the existing snow would melt. Then we might feel sure that no one could follow us. But so long as that trail exists, then so does the possibility that the Germans will follow it.”

Taras barked and kept on walking.

“I’m sorry. You’re quite right. That kind of talk doesn’t do any good at all, does it? But I can’t help feeling nervous when I see exactly where we have come from. Every minute, I’m convinced we’re going to see the Germans coming after us on their motorcycles. If only this were Egypt, they might run into one of those ten plagues.”

The wind stiffened a little, and momentarily Kalinka was grateful that it was not blowing in her face, which might have made the going slower; even so, it was clear that she was the slowest of the four, and every so often, Taras would stop and look around at her, patiently waiting for her to catch up.

“Yes, I can see what you’re thinking, Taras. You’re thinking, ‘If only she could walk a little faster.’ Now I’ve got you doing it. My father used to say that unless you’re careful, a lot of if onlys can add up to one long, hard-luck story. But it’s me who’s slowing you all down, isn’t it? If only Temüjin and Börte weren’t wild horses, then perhaps I could ride and then we’d make much better progress. We could cover twice as much ground in half the time. I guess it’s just my luck to be guiding wild horses to safety instead of tame ones.” She shrugged. “Then again, if you weren’t the rarest horses in the world and probably the last of your kind, there would be no point in guiding you to safety at all. Each of you would be just another tall horse like that big dumb Hanoverian.”

Taras barked again and shot an accusing sort of glance at Temüjin. It had been easy enough for the wild horse

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