I have SEVEN REVIEWS after the SECOND chappie!!!!!!! I don't BELIEVE IT!!!!!! XD Since you readers are so intrigued by what on earth Mortyx is, I'll put it in this chapter. If I get reviews saying that Mortyx should be on Artemis's side, well, I'll take down this chapter and put up a new one. Enough blabber from the peanut gallery here......on with the story!!!!!! (grins)

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Artemis fought to keep his face expressionless. "What book? I'm not quite positive on what you mean."

Mortyx's wolf-like eyes flashed with suppressed rage. "Did you not listen when I stated that I know, so pretending is futile?" She snarled poisonously.

Artemis shook his head, half to keep up the facade of misunderstanding and half to stop Butler from drawing the .22 concealed in his jacket. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"I think you do." Mortyx turned her venomous glare to Butler. "As for your manservant, tell him to keep his cool. Weaponry will have no use save blowing up the walls of Las Noches if it is mere physical projectiles, which I strongly suspect."

Butler's hand did not move from his weapon, and Artemis did not ask for it to. He nodded at Mortyx. "You are positively correct, Asesino. Weapons are useless. Butler far prefers to use the more innate attacks. An African elephant would be hard put to survive a fight with him, I doubt you would."

He expected for Mortyx to snarl a cold retort, for her golden eyes to grow even more piercing yet also tainted with a hint of fear. What he did not expect was for her to laugh as though he'd made a joke- and a particularly humorous one at that.

"Pardon me if I don't flee in terror." The girl smiled, eyes almost twinkling. "After my usual opponents I doubt your 'Butler' would be challenging enough to even call a fight between us practice." Artemis folded his arms, face as cold and expressionless as a stone statue. "If you know of the book then you'll know about trolls. Butler is quite possibly the only human ever to fight one and win."

Mortyx smiled sweetly. "Ah, so the fledgling's memory returns after its short vacation. And if you know of the Lower Elements then you'll know of the Dark Elements?" Artemis didn't respond, and his acquaintance's smirk turned to a cold smile that somehow didn't reach those mysteriously colored eyes of hers.

"The Book, Fowl. I want it. And I'm prepared to offer whatever you desire."

Butler watched on suspiciously. Something was....not right about this girl. His instincts were screaming, and as Madam Ko always said, trust your instincts. They should have been out of here a long time ago, settled this deal. Artemis was smarter than this and a regular shark when it came to business. It was almost as though he didn't want this to be settled.

"And pray tell why it is so important to you?" Artemis asked cooly. Mortyx's eyes flashed. "I see no reason for you to know that." She spat angrily. The raven-haired boy remained unfazed. "I don't think I'll be trading with you."

Her eyes widened, then narrowed with rage. "It's more than a generous offer, Fowl."

"I know."

"You'll never get this chance again."

Artemis nodded calmly. "I don't believe I will."

Mortyx leaned closer, so close that their faces nearly touched and a strand of raven hair lightly brushed against Artemis's cheek. Her voice lowered to a purring whisper. "It's not wise, fledgling, to deprive a demoness from what she seeks."

Artemis's eyes widened in shock, and Butler's jaw dropped. "You're a demon?" The repetition was stuttered slightly, and Artemis hoped it would be taken as pure surprise instead of resulting partly from the close proximity of the two adversaries. He was a Fowl- such emotions were nonexistent, especially during serious negotiations with demons.

Mortyx's eyes narrowed. "Demoness, Fowl. I'm female, in case it slipped past your detection."

It certainly hadn't, but he wasn't about to say so. "So, let me get this straight." Artemis said, folding his hands. "I'm supposed to give a powerful item of magic to a demoness, who will not explain what it is to be used for, and who so hungers for it that she is willing to give enough currency to buy a third-rate country in Africa?"

Mortyx's lip curled slightly in the barest hint of a snarl. "The results of not complying may be disastrous."

"Thank you, but no thank you." Artemis said firmly. Mortyx gazed back at him with a cold expression, not bothering to even try to appear civil. "Then leave, Fowl. But be aware- I will have that Book. At any price, any cost. Even if it means taking apart your manor stone by stone and slitting your throat in your sleep."

Artemis nodded curtly. "I'll remember that."

With a silent command to Butler, the manservant and his Principal stood and walked out of Las Noches into the bright and cheerful Ireland afternoon, so different from Las Noches. Artemis willed himself not to look back, not to appear weak or indecisive. It was a fatal mistake, one that could have saved him from his own folly. For had he looked back he would have seen a wolflike shadow watching him from inside Las Noches with icy bloodred eyes- one every inch as dark as the lupine-eyed demoness they left behind, and sharing the same desire. Neither Butler nor Artemis knew the peril that refusing Mortyx's offer would bring, the forces vying for the talisman that lay in their possession. The Dark Elements wanted that Book- and they would have it no matter what it took.

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Spooky? Vague, more likely. (grins) Yeah, I love cliffies. They certainly make for annoyed readers, but I still love em. RaevenDawn, now you know what Mortyx is- or do you? Heh, I'm evil and I know it. Lol, I'm still not entirely positive where this is going, but I do have the faintest sketches of a plot, have no fears! I apologize profusely for the complete lack of description in this chapter, I know I have too much dialogue but I'll make up for it in the next chappie. Again, am I making Mortyx too mary-sueish? (coughcough) Could someone tell me what a Mary Sue is, by the way? I've never really figured it out......

-RenegadeMustang