St. Bartleby's School for Young Gentlemen, County Wicklow, Ireland
Holly arrived at the front entrance of Artemis' school, to check up on him.
She shielded, and invited herself into the building, against regulations, flying up and down corridors until she reached room 208, Artemis' room. The door was slightly open, and she managed to squeeze through the narrow crack. Artemis was sitting at his desk; Holly saw that he was typing something on his laptop. She flew up above his head to read his work, but almost as soon as she started reading, Artemis gently closed his laptop, as though he knew she was there, reading over his shoulder. Holly convinced her self that this wasn't because of what had been discussed underground.
"Fairy," came the cold, heartless voice that Holly knew too well, "I suggest you unshield. I know you're there." Holly froze, her stomach churning. He knew she was there. But that meant he had remembered and was almost definitely the one behind telling Spiro about Haven. Holly hadn't, and wouldn't, believe this fully, until now.
Slowly, she settled into the visible spectrum of the human eye. Artemis turned to meet her gaze.
"Good evening Captain Short," he smiled at her look of bewilderment etched on her face.
"So... so it is you," she stammered," You're the one who told Spiro about us. And, and how did you know I was here, anyway?"
Artemis chuckled his customary cold chuckle, "Oh no, I'm afraid you've been mistaken, and you've come for the wrong person. Although, I must thank Mister Spiro, as it is because of him that I have my memories of the People back. If he hadn't been on the news, we wouldn't be having this conversation. And you asked how I knew you were here," Artemis gave his vampire smile. "The answer to that question is simply that your vibrating, in which you use to shield yourself, was creating a slight humming noise. I would've thought that Foaly would have come up with something to prevent that as..." Artemis was cut off by the sound of footsteps approaching up the corridor. Holly shielded just in time, muttering about the useless make of wings that Dragonflies were, right before Gunther barged in.
"Okay, now I know we're going co-ed. I heard a girl in here! You were talking to her!"
Artemis glared at him, "Why would there be a girl in here when we attend a boy's school, which certainly isn't going co-ed?"
Gunther shrugged, "I dunno," he paused and suddenly gasped in excitement, "You've got a girlfriend, haven't you? Well, come on, where is she?"
Artemis was rather taken aback by that fact that anyone thought he would, or could, have a girlfriend.
"What on Earth possesses you to think that I would have a girlfriend?" Artemis scowled heartlessly.
"Oh, I don't know, stop confusing me." Gunther ran out of the room, with tears streaming down his face, slamming the door behind him.
Holly flickered into view, flushed by the effort to stop herself from allowing a laugh.
Artemis shot her a piercing stare. "May I ask what you find so amusing?"
"Nothing," Holly giggled, but stopped laughing when she saw the threatening look on Artemis' face. "Yes, so anyway. We need help to stop Spiro and I was wondering..."
"If I could come up with a plan," completed Artemis. "Do you honestly think that I would help you for free? I haven't changed, Short. I'm the same person I was when we first met."
Holly stared at the Irish teenager and realised for the first time during their conversation, that he wasn't the boy she had said goodbye to six months ago; but the boy she had said hello to two years ago. The boy who had kidnapped her and refused to give her back to the People until they paid him an immense sum in gold. She was facing the same monster that trapped her when she was trying to complete the Ritual. The same monster that tricked and lied to her. The same monster she once never wanted to see again...
She quickly composed herself and asked, "Well, what were you thinking we pay you, then?"
"The same amount I asked for two years ago."
"One tonne of gold, just for a lousy plan? How thick do you think we are?"
Artemis smiled, "I understand your shock Captain, but my plans are far from lousy."
Holly glared at him, "Alright, mud -boy. You can have your gold, if you help us. But you'd better promise that you're not going to lie, or try to trick us."
Artemis nodded, "Well then. Shall we go?"
Holly made for the door, searching for some camfoil in her bag, but decided that is was probably best that Artemis, as little as was necessary, was unconscious while they were travelling underground. After all, he was now untrustworthy to the People. Holly turned to face Artemis.
"Go to sleep," her voice was now layered with mesmer, "you pasty faced mud weasel."
Holly arrived at the front entrance of Artemis' school, to check up on him.
She shielded, and invited herself into the building, against regulations, flying up and down corridors until she reached room 208, Artemis' room. The door was slightly open, and she managed to squeeze through the narrow crack. Artemis was sitting at his desk; Holly saw that he was typing something on his laptop. She flew up above his head to read his work, but almost as soon as she started reading, Artemis gently closed his laptop, as though he knew she was there, reading over his shoulder. Holly convinced her self that this wasn't because of what had been discussed underground.
"Fairy," came the cold, heartless voice that Holly knew too well, "I suggest you unshield. I know you're there." Holly froze, her stomach churning. He knew she was there. But that meant he had remembered and was almost definitely the one behind telling Spiro about Haven. Holly hadn't, and wouldn't, believe this fully, until now.
Slowly, she settled into the visible spectrum of the human eye. Artemis turned to meet her gaze.
"Good evening Captain Short," he smiled at her look of bewilderment etched on her face.
"So... so it is you," she stammered," You're the one who told Spiro about us. And, and how did you know I was here, anyway?"
Artemis chuckled his customary cold chuckle, "Oh no, I'm afraid you've been mistaken, and you've come for the wrong person. Although, I must thank Mister Spiro, as it is because of him that I have my memories of the People back. If he hadn't been on the news, we wouldn't be having this conversation. And you asked how I knew you were here," Artemis gave his vampire smile. "The answer to that question is simply that your vibrating, in which you use to shield yourself, was creating a slight humming noise. I would've thought that Foaly would have come up with something to prevent that as..." Artemis was cut off by the sound of footsteps approaching up the corridor. Holly shielded just in time, muttering about the useless make of wings that Dragonflies were, right before Gunther barged in.
"Okay, now I know we're going co-ed. I heard a girl in here! You were talking to her!"
Artemis glared at him, "Why would there be a girl in here when we attend a boy's school, which certainly isn't going co-ed?"
Gunther shrugged, "I dunno," he paused and suddenly gasped in excitement, "You've got a girlfriend, haven't you? Well, come on, where is she?"
Artemis was rather taken aback by that fact that anyone thought he would, or could, have a girlfriend.
"What on Earth possesses you to think that I would have a girlfriend?" Artemis scowled heartlessly.
"Oh, I don't know, stop confusing me." Gunther ran out of the room, with tears streaming down his face, slamming the door behind him.
Holly flickered into view, flushed by the effort to stop herself from allowing a laugh.
Artemis shot her a piercing stare. "May I ask what you find so amusing?"
"Nothing," Holly giggled, but stopped laughing when she saw the threatening look on Artemis' face. "Yes, so anyway. We need help to stop Spiro and I was wondering..."
"If I could come up with a plan," completed Artemis. "Do you honestly think that I would help you for free? I haven't changed, Short. I'm the same person I was when we first met."
Holly stared at the Irish teenager and realised for the first time during their conversation, that he wasn't the boy she had said goodbye to six months ago; but the boy she had said hello to two years ago. The boy who had kidnapped her and refused to give her back to the People until they paid him an immense sum in gold. She was facing the same monster that trapped her when she was trying to complete the Ritual. The same monster that tricked and lied to her. The same monster she once never wanted to see again...
She quickly composed herself and asked, "Well, what were you thinking we pay you, then?"
"The same amount I asked for two years ago."
"One tonne of gold, just for a lousy plan? How thick do you think we are?"
Artemis smiled, "I understand your shock Captain, but my plans are far from lousy."
Holly glared at him, "Alright, mud -boy. You can have your gold, if you help us. But you'd better promise that you're not going to lie, or try to trick us."
Artemis nodded, "Well then. Shall we go?"
Holly made for the door, searching for some camfoil in her bag, but decided that is was probably best that Artemis, as little as was necessary, was unconscious while they were travelling underground. After all, he was now untrustworthy to the People. Holly turned to face Artemis.
"Go to sleep," her voice was now layered with mesmer, "you pasty faced mud weasel."