Read Online Morpheus Road 03 - The Blood by D.J. MacHale - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: D.J. MacHale
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had found one of the missing spirits, and wished he hadn't. Any doubt Coop had about Damon being in that vision was gone. Zoe was about to be destroyed in a very public way, but to what end? Revenge against her father, Adeipho? Retribution for having lost the Rift? Or was it just another example of Damon's sadism? Whatever the reason, Zoe would have no chance against her massive opponent.
Coop turned and sprinted up the stairs to the emperor's box. He only had seconds before the battle would begin. He vaulted over the low wooden rail and landed directly in front of the only guard who was there to protect the boss. Before the oblivious guard could react, Coop jabbed one punch to his throat and followed with a solid hook to his cheek. The stunned guard's head snapped to the side as he tumbled to his knees, clutching his throat.
If the emperor was surprised, he didn't show it. He turned in his ornately carved golden throne and peered down his nose at Cooper as if he were no more of a threat than a fly that someone beneath his station should have swatted for him.
"Your . . . Emperor- ness -Majesty, whatever," Coop huffed, catching his breath. "You can't let them fight. Not with those weapons. This isn't for show. Those black swords could destroy them."
The emperor tilted his head like a curious cat, trying to understand why a strange guy from a modern vision had dared to intrude on his personal spectacle.
"Please," Coop begged. "Stop the fight."
Titus opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by another spectator who was sitting in the far corner of the royal box.
"I see you have taken the bait," the man declared.
The hair went up on the back of Coop's neck. He knew the voice. He spun quickly to see that the spectator had risen to face him.
"The glove, please," the man said, holding out his hand.
Coop pulled the glove from his back pocket, held it out . . . and dropped it on the floor.
The spectator didn't react.
"Bait?" Cooper repeated. "You wanted me to find you?"
"Of course," the man said with a sly smile that revealed his pointed front teeth. He reached down, picked up the glove, and slipped his hand into it. "And now that you are here, the next act of our little drama can begin."
Cooper's hunt was officially over.
Damon of Epirus was back in the game.
6
"Stop the fight," Coop demanded.
"You are assuming I have that power," Damon replied coyly.
"Give me a break. This is all about you. How else would they have gotten the black swords?"
Damon glanced to the arena floor, where Zoe and the gladiator stood poised, ready to do battle.
"I suppose it could be stopped," Damon said, sounding less than enthused. "But why disappoint all of these spirits who are so looking forward to the contest? It isn't often that they can actually witness a true fight to the death."
The crowd had grown eerily quiet as if holding a collec tive breath in anticipation of the impending battle. Many eyes were on Coop and Damon, fascinated by the standoff that was being played out in the emperor's box.
"What's the point?" Coop asked. "Revenge?"
Damon chuckled. "Revenge against the daughter of Adeipho is a bonus, yes, but nothing more. My ultimate goal remains the same."
"The poleax," Coop declared.
" And you can help me get it."
"What if I don't?"
Damon took a threatening step closer to Cooper.
"Do not make the mistake of thinking you have gained an advantage by my having lost the Rift."
"You lost your army too," Coop said, not backing down. "Let's not forget that little detail."
Damon shook his head in wonder.
"As always, so confident. But why?" He gestured down to the arena floor and said, "Because you have found the daugh ter of the traitor Adeipho? Congratulations. But what of the others? The girl Maggie. And Foley, your grandfather? And of course the Seaver woman. Where could they be?"
Cooper had all he could do to hold himself back from lashing out and drilling his fist into Damon's smug face.
"I hold all of their
Coop turned and sprinted up the stairs to the emperor's box. He only had seconds before the battle would begin. He vaulted over the low wooden rail and landed directly in front of the only guard who was there to protect the boss. Before the oblivious guard could react, Coop jabbed one punch to his throat and followed with a solid hook to his cheek. The stunned guard's head snapped to the side as he tumbled to his knees, clutching his throat.
If the emperor was surprised, he didn't show it. He turned in his ornately carved golden throne and peered down his nose at Cooper as if he were no more of a threat than a fly that someone beneath his station should have swatted for him.
"Your . . . Emperor- ness -Majesty, whatever," Coop huffed, catching his breath. "You can't let them fight. Not with those weapons. This isn't for show. Those black swords could destroy them."
The emperor tilted his head like a curious cat, trying to understand why a strange guy from a modern vision had dared to intrude on his personal spectacle.
"Please," Coop begged. "Stop the fight."
Titus opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by another spectator who was sitting in the far corner of the royal box.
"I see you have taken the bait," the man declared.
The hair went up on the back of Coop's neck. He knew the voice. He spun quickly to see that the spectator had risen to face him.
"The glove, please," the man said, holding out his hand.
Coop pulled the glove from his back pocket, held it out . . . and dropped it on the floor.
The spectator didn't react.
"Bait?" Cooper repeated. "You wanted me to find you?"
"Of course," the man said with a sly smile that revealed his pointed front teeth. He reached down, picked up the glove, and slipped his hand into it. "And now that you are here, the next act of our little drama can begin."
Cooper's hunt was officially over.
Damon of Epirus was back in the game.
6
"Stop the fight," Coop demanded.
"You are assuming I have that power," Damon replied coyly.
"Give me a break. This is all about you. How else would they have gotten the black swords?"
Damon glanced to the arena floor, where Zoe and the gladiator stood poised, ready to do battle.
"I suppose it could be stopped," Damon said, sounding less than enthused. "But why disappoint all of these spirits who are so looking forward to the contest? It isn't often that they can actually witness a true fight to the death."
The crowd had grown eerily quiet as if holding a collec tive breath in anticipation of the impending battle. Many eyes were on Coop and Damon, fascinated by the standoff that was being played out in the emperor's box.
"What's the point?" Coop asked. "Revenge?"
Damon chuckled. "Revenge against the daughter of Adeipho is a bonus, yes, but nothing more. My ultimate goal remains the same."
"The poleax," Coop declared.
" And you can help me get it."
"What if I don't?"
Damon took a threatening step closer to Cooper.
"Do not make the mistake of thinking you have gained an advantage by my having lost the Rift."
"You lost your army too," Coop said, not backing down. "Let's not forget that little detail."
Damon shook his head in wonder.
"As always, so confident. But why?" He gestured down to the arena floor and said, "Because you have found the daugh ter of the traitor Adeipho? Congratulations. But what of the others? The girl Maggie. And Foley, your grandfather? And of course the Seaver woman. Where could they be?"
Cooper had all he could do to hold himself back from lashing out and drilling his fist into Damon's smug face.
"I hold all of their
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