Geomancer (Well of Echoes) by Ian Irvine

Author:Ian Irvine [Irvine, Ian]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: General, Fiction, Fantasy, Science Fiction & Fantasy
ISBN: 9781841492094
Publisher: Orbit
Published: 2003-07-24T06:00:00+00:00

THIRTY

Jal-Nish drove them hard for what remained of the day and most of the night. The field was strong here but the country unknown, so they crept along under the light of a single flare. That was risky but Jal-Nish dared not stop. The clanker operators were issued with spicy nigah leaf, to keep them awake. The army sometimes used the drug to combat cold and fatigue. Everyone was on edge, knowing how vulnerable they were. Half a dozen lyrinx, attacking from the darkness, could slaughter them all.

Just after dawn, most of the way across a domed plateau, the hunt again came upon tracks in the snow.

‘It’s them!’ shouted one of the soldiers.

‘I can’t see anything.’ Gi-Had was up on the shooter’s platform, staring through a spyglass, when Nish and Irisis scrambled out.

Jal-Nish squatted to examine the smaller prints. ‘It’s Tiaan’s boot all right. I don’t understand it. It’s as if she’s going willingly.’

Arple inspected the evidence, stroking his scarred lip. ‘If you can tell that from a bootprint you’re a damn sight better tracker than I’ll ever be.’

‘She hasn’t run away!’ Jal-Nish said.

‘Would you run from a creature three times as big and twice as fast? If I were her, I’d do exactly as it told me.’

‘That’s why you’re a sergeant in the Tiksi garrison rather than a general at the front,’ Jal-Nish sneered.

Arple reared up before him. ‘Have you ever fought a lyrinx, perquisitor?’

‘No.’ Jal-Nish drew back.

‘Then shut up before you make a fool of yourself. You don’t know what you’re talking about, and if there’s one thing I despise it’s the ass that flaps his mouth from the safety of an armchair. I’ve seen hundreds of my boys dead at the hands of lyrinx, perquisitor. Dead and eaten! Better men than you’ll ever be, just fighting for their families and their country. Don’t talk to me about lyrinx. Don’t tell me my job. And don’t sneer at my courage until you’ve proven your own.’ He stalked away, head held high.

Gi-Had said quietly, ‘He may be only a sergeant, surr, but Arple’s been up north fighting lyrinx for fifteen years. He’s killed five of the beasts, two all by himself, and that makes him as tough a man as you’ll ever meet.’

The column moved off at a faster pace, following the marks in the snow. The soldiers had skis on now, since the way ahead was flat. Irisis chuckled.

‘What’s so funny?’ Nish asked.

‘It’s good to see someone get the better of your father. He’s such a hypocrite.’

Nish had enjoyed the sight too, though family loyalty would not allow him to show it. ‘It remains to be seen if Arple has got the better of him. My father is a ferocious enemy.’

Up the front, metal screamed and the machine shuddered to a stop. ‘That doesn’t sound good,’ said Irisis.

Nish got out. ‘What’s wrong?’ he asked Pur-Did, who was squatting by the front leg.

‘Rod’s jammed, I’d say. You’ll have to pull it down.’

Nish cursed. It would be a hideous job in the freezing conditions and he would not be able to wear gloves.

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