Temple Boys Read Online Free

to come he’d be able to say, Ah, yes, I remember when the Chosen One first came to the city. Of course, no one had any idea who he really was and I had a bit of a job persuading my friends to come and see him, but I had a feeling, you see. And you know what we were planning to do? Rob him.
    As Flea drifted off on his own train of thought, the clouds broke up and the sun pierced through. Suddenly, there were clear blue skies to the east but for a single small cloud. If he squinted and forgot the cloud looked like a dog, he could almost imagine it as a chariot drawn by a winged horse, and he could almost definitely see the magician in the back with a golden bow and a quiver of burning arrows. And now the winged horse was pulling back its lips to show long red teeth, jagged as saws. The feathers on its wings were as sharp as swords—one sweep of them and Roman heads would tumble. But the archers on the battlements had seen the threat. Now they were pulling their bows back into quivering arcs.
    â€œWatch out!” Flea cried. And as the arrows leaped upward in a black swarm, the magician raised his right arm. Fire shot from an outstretched finger and he drew it across the blue dome of the sky to create a blazing barrier so the archers’ arrows flamed and fell in charred twists. Now he started shooting his own arrows. They smashed into the battlements, turning soldiers into flaming, screaming, dancing monsters before they fell to their deaths.
    The magician reined in his snorting steed and circled Flea’s tree in his chariot, wreathed in smoke, shining with strength, and at the sight of him, the crowd fell to the ground, wailing and moaning in terror.
    Only Flea—Flea the Brave, Flea the Magnificent—dared to meet his calm and level gaze.
    â€œWell done, courageous Flea. You have saved me, you have saved your friends, and you have saved your city. As your reward, Flea … Flea … FLEA, you idiot! Wake up and tell us what’s going on!”
    Flea blinked and looked down. Big and most of the rest of the gang were at the bottom of the tree.
    â€œWhat’s going on, insect?”
    â€œNothing,” Flea said. “Nothing.”
    â€œWell, since you’re up there, keep watching! Don’t go all la-la like you usually do.”
    Big opened his mouth into a stupid gape and rolled his eyes up into his head. Flea scowled across the crowded bridge.
    And really did see something.

 
    7
    On the other side of the valley, a dense little group was moving with purpose down the road from Olive Tree Hill. People seemed to be clearing the road ahead of it. Above the background noise Flea thought he could hear faint cheers.
    â€œSomething’s happening!” he called down to Big, who grabbed Snot. Together, they wormed their way through the crowd toward the bridge. Halo scrabbled up into the tree with Flea and Red. Flea helped him onto the branch and held him tight. Halo was inclined to get excited and fall off things.
    In the middle of the bridge, the stuck donkey had managed to back the cart hard against the parapet, the camel was trying to turn sideways, and a man carrying a pitcher of water was stuck between them, trying desperately not to let it fall. At the same time, the heaving press of people was stopping any man or beast from going backward or forward, and more people were trying to squeeze onto the bridge all the time. To make matters worse, Flea saw Big and Snot jump onto the cart and start stamping and yelling in imitation of the driver.
    Problem. They were making so much noise they’d attracted the attention of the Imps. The two Temple Boys on the cart showed clearly above the heads of the crowd and made easy targets for the soldiers, who started to shoulder their way toward them, all leather plates and polished buckles.
    And now something was happening on the far side of the bridge, behind the soldiers’ backs.
    The little group Flea had seen on the road