Gladiator Clash (Time Hunters, Book 1) Read Online Free

from!” Tom said.
    From inside the cages came growling and snapping.
    Josephus chuckled. “Come and meet Cleo’s new neighbours,” he said.
    Tom gulped as he saw enormous, shaggy-maned lions prowling around one cage. Their teeth were like daggers. Directly opposite, a tail swished in the gloom. Tom peered to get a closer look, then yelped as he made out the wide, muscular body of an alligator crawling out of a small pond within the cage. It snapped its jaws full of razor-sharp teeth.
    â€œThe Roman Army brings back all sorts of exotic animals from their foreign campaigns,” Josephus explained. “They use them to fight against each other and against the gladiators.”
    â€œCleo! Cleopatra!” Isis shouted. “What have these horrible animals done to you?”
    Mewing and the padding of small paws echoed off the walls as Cleo scampered over to Isis.
    â€œMy fluffy love!” Isis scooped up her cat into her arms. “I thought you’d been eaten!” She stroked Cleo’s stripy fur. Cleo purred happily.
    â€œMind out!” Josephus shouted, pushing past Tom. He was carrying a large bucket full of smelly, slippery meat. As he pulled out what looked like the leg of a cow, the lions started to fling their heavy bodies against the bars, snarling and clawing at the meat. The alligator snapped its jaws and thrashed its tail against the pen.
    â€œThey’re hungry, all right!” Josephus said.
    Cleo jumped down from Isis’s arms.
    â€œCleo, no!” Isis shouted.
    Tom almost couldn’t bear to look as Cleo walked over to the cages and started to hiss at the dangerous beasts. She swiped at the lions and alligator with her own sharp little claws. But instead of tearing the cat to pieces, the wild animals backed into the shadowy corners of their cages, whimpering and shaking.
    â€œWhy! That’s the strangest thing I’ve ever seen,” Josephus said, scratching his head. “How can a little cat like that scare wild beasts? Those creatures would normally snap her up!”
    â€œThey’re frightened of you, Cleo! They must know you’re royal!” Isis beamed. “That’s my girl! Top cat!”
    â€œI don’t think they know she’s royal,” Tom whispered to Isis. “They must know she’s undead.”
    Cleo haughtily stuck her tail in the air and started hungrily scoffing a chunk of meat.
    Isis breathed a sigh of relief. “Oh well, I certainly don’t need to worry about you down here,” she said, stroking Cleo under her chin.
    Josephus turned to Isis with a raised eyebrow. There was something about his expression that made Isis gulp.
    â€œCleo’s all right,” he said. “But how will the two of you fare when it’s time to fight in the arena?”

“Ow! My legs are killing me!” Tom said, as they shuffled back into the prisoner quarters.
    Isis stretched her back and groaned. “I don’t think I was this stiff after five thousand years of being trapped in a statue.” She straightened out, holding her nose. “And it stinks like a camel’s bed in here.”
    â€œAre you sure it’s not you?” Tom asked. “You
are
quite old.”
    â€œHa ha, very funny!”
    The door clanged open, flooding the prisoners’ room with a sudden blinding shaft of light that made Tom squint.
    Rufus burst in.“Greetings, gladiators!” he cried. “I have exciting news for you.”
    Nobody seemed excited. At all. Tom looked around at the tired, dirty faces of the other prisoners. Everyone was covered in cuts and bright purple bruises.
    Rufus pointed his coiled-up whip at the prisoners. “Atillius has just announced that there will be a grand show in two days’ time. Which means you will get your first fight.”

    The prisoners all started to grumble.
    Rufus cracked the whip. “Hey! Stop whinging, you ungrateful donkeys! Atillius is spending a