Eagle in the Sky Read online

  Three hours’ flying perhaps, and David felt a chill relief that there was to be a term to his suffering. He saw clearly then how it would end down there in the wilderness below the shipping lanes. He would continue to bore for height, climbing steadily until at last his engines starved and failed. Then he would push the nose down into a vertical dive and go in hard and fast, like the final suicide stoop of a maimed and moribund eagle. It would be over swiftly, and the metal fuselage would carry him down to a grave that could not be as lonely as the desolation in which he now existed.

  The radio crackled and hummed into life. He heard air traffic snarl his call sign through the static crackle, and he reached for the switch to kill the set – when the well-remembered voice stayed his hand.

  ‘David, this is the Brig.’ The words and the tone in which they were spoken transported him back to another cockpit in another land.

  ‘You disobeyed me once before. Don’t do it again.’

  David’s mouth tightened into a thin colourless line and again he reached for the switch. He knew they were watching him on the radar plot, that they knew his course, and that the Brig had guessed what he intended. Well, there was nothing they could do about it.

  ‘David,’ the Brig’s voice softened, and some sure instinct made him choose the only words to which David would listen. ‘I have just spoken to Debra. She wants you desperately.’

  David’s hand hovered over the switch.

  ‘Listen to me, David. She needs you – she will always need you.’

  David blinked, for he felt tears scalding his eyes once more. His determination wavered.

  ‘Come back, David. For her sake, come back.’

  Out of the darkness of his soul, a light shone, a small light which grew and spread until it seemed to fill him with its shimmering brightness.

  ‘David, this is the Brig.’ Again it was the voice of the old warrior, hard and uncompromising. ‘Return to base immediately.’

  David grinned, and lifted the microphone to his mouth. He thumbed the transmit button, and spoke the old acknowledgement in Hebrew.

  ‘Beseder! This is Bright Lance Leader, homeward bound,’ and he brought the Navajo around steeply.

  The mountain was blue and low on the horizon, and he let the nose sink gradually towards it. He knew that it would not be easy – that it would require all his courage and patience, but he knew that in the end it would be worth it all. Suddenly he needed desperately to be alone with Debra, in the peace of Jabulani.

  Also by WILBUR SMITH

  THE COURTNEYS

  When the Lion Feeds

  The Sound of Thunder

  A Sparrow Falls

  THE COURTNEYS OF AFRICA

  The Burning Shore

  Power of the Sword

  Rage

  A Time to Die

  Golden Fox

  THE BALLANTYNE NOVELS

  A Falcon Flies

  Men of Men

  The Angels Weep

  The Leopard Hunts in Darkness

  ALSO

  The Dark of the Sun

  Shout at the Devil

  Gold Mine

  The Diamond Hunters

  Eagle in the Sky

  The Eye of the Tiger

  Cry Wolf

  Hungry as the Sea

  Wild Justice

  Elephant Song

  River God

  The Seventh Scroll

  Birds of Prey

  Monsoon

  Warlock

  The Sunbird

  Blue Horizon

  The Triumph of the Sun

  OUTSTANDING PRAISE FOR THE NOVELS OF WILBUR SMITH

  THE TRIUMPH OF THE SUN

  “Triumph of the Sun is everything [Smith’s] fans have come to expect: masterful storytelling and breathtaking adventure …chalk up another winner.”

  —Times Record News (Wichita Falls, TX)

  “Espionage, disguise, stabbings in the dark …a story that is—like the Nile itself—swift and powerful …fans will not be disappointed.”

  —Booklist

  “Nobody does it better.”

  —Kirkus Reviews

  “Wildly entertaining, compulsively readable.”

  —Sunday Telegraph (UK)

  BLUE HORIZON

  “The eleventh volume in Smith’s saga of the Courtney clan is every bit as riveting as its predecessors. Brimming with bravado, greed, and romance.”

  —Booklist

  “Really big retro-fun.”

  —Kirkus Reviews

  “A swashbuckling, brawling, sprawling historical epic. Rich, exciting, and fascinating.”

  —Library Journal

  “Adventure and danger at every turn.”

  —New York Daily News

  “Gripping. The writer’s fans will enjoy the ride.”

  —Publishers Weekly

  More …

  “Master storyteller Smith takes his story into another generation of adventurers battling on the sea and on land in the settling of South Africa.”

  —Tulsa World

  “Everything Smith’s fans have come to expect from his epic adventure novels. His consummate skill at crafting vast battle scenes, passionate and wildly romantic characters, cruel and bloodthirsty villains, and larger-than-life heroes make Blue Horizon irresistible.”

  —Journal (Flint, MI)

  WARLOCK

  “When it comes to historical fiction, Smith is without rival. He is a warlock of writers.”

  —Tulsa World

  “Filled with enough action, adventure, battles, betrayals, and actual cliffhangers to satisfy Indiana Jones, Wilbur Smith’s new novel Warlock is a rousing and worthy sequel to River God.”

  —The Plain Dealer

  “Seamlessly composed, this epic historical drama by veteran author Smith tracks a power struggle in ancient Egypt between false pharaohs and a true royal heir, evoking the cruel glories and terrible torments of the era. Those willing to brave the blood and gore will be carried away by the sweep and pace of Smith’s tale.”

  —Publishers Weekly

  “Each time I read a new Wilbur Smith I say it is the best book I have ever read—until the next one. It’s the same with Warlock. Brilliant …irresistible and impossible to put down.”

  —Times Record News (Wichita Falls, TX)

  “Those of you familiar with Smith’s writing …can expect more of his signature brand of pulse-pounding, ‘Perils of Pauline’ – style of adventure and excitement, with more blood and guts than a slaughterhouse.”

  —Tampa Tribune Times

  “This summer’s most entertaining read …another full-blown tale of war, intrigue, murder, lust, and true love set in ancient Egypt. [This] is really the book Taita fans have been waiting for.”

  —Flint Journal

  “Smith is at the top of his game in weaving exotic adventures in this work. Very highly recommended.”

  —Library Journal

  “Smith …returns to the genre with this epic action tale of intrigue, suspense, and adventure set in ancient Egypt. His many fans will be clamoring for copies of this one.”

  —Booklist

  “A stirring tale, full of chariot battles …Smith has whipped up a heady brew …and undoubtedly deserves his immense popularity far more than most of his rivals.”

  —Evening Standard (UK)

  “You can almost feel the heat and taste the dust as the narrative builds to a cracking pace … [Warlock] is a ripping yarn and a classic adventure story.”

  —Irish News

  RIVER GOD

  “A grand tale of intrigue, deception, true love and exile.”

  —The Denver Post

  “Vivid and fascinating …packed with passion, war, intrigue and revenge …sprawling and absorbing …gripping …A racy rampage through ancient Egypt that puts the reader right there with details that are intimate, inspiring, horrifying … .The author makes you see it, hear it—even smell it …Fans will be happy to know Smith hasn’t lost his
touch for the dramatic, exotic adventure story.”

  —The Orlando Sentinel

  “A page-turner …few novelists can write action scenes that all but leap off the page the way Smith can …his detailed portrait of ancient Egypt is fascinating.”

  —Anniston Star (TX)

  This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

  EAGLE IN THE SKY

  Copyright © Wilbur Smith 1974.

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews. For information address St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010.

  St. Martin’s Paperbacks are published by St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth

  Avenue, New York, NY 10010.

  eISBN 9781429997102

  First eBook Edition : April 2011

  First published in Great Britain 1974 by William Heinemann Ltd

  EAN: 9780312-94064-5

  Pan Books edition published 1998

  St. Martin’s Paperbacks edition / September 2006