Artemis Fowl: Opals Revenge Chapter Four
Artemis could only stare in shock and horror.
"Good riddance," said Opal calmly, as if strangling fairies to death with chains was something she did every day.
Opal sucked in a breath sharply. They could hear the door being unlocked.
The door was flung open and Butler stood framed for a second, his bald head shining in the light emanating from the single light bulb. He seen Holly, limp on the floor.
Artemis felt his hands release the chains as Opal made to jump backwards. Butler lunged, and with one strike of his massive hand, sent Artemis flying into the wall. Opal couldn't even gasp, the breath was knocked out of his body, and Artemis felt the pain as his back connected with the wall.
Butler pounced again, this time grabbing Artemis by the neck and flinging him down, face first on the cold concrete floor. He whipped a pair of handcuffs from his pocket, and after securing Artemis, he flung him on the bed.
"Too late, too late, too late," chanted Opal, loudly, sounding more demented than usual. She laughed.
Butler rushed to Holly and rolled her on her back.
"Time for a nap," Opal thought, snidely.
She was gone and Artemis was back. Tears began to roll down his cheek.
"Save her, Butler!" he choked.
Butler began CPR, pushing on her chest, and pinching her nose and breathing air into her mouth. Nothing happened.
Artemis brain was whirling. He had just killed his best friend-well Opal had-but it had been his hands that held the chain and tightened, while he himself had been powerless to prevent.
He would have to live with it for the rest of his life.
Holly suddenly sucked in a breath. Her eyelids fluttered open and some color began to return to her face.
"Thank God," whispered Butler.
Holly moaned and tried to raise a hand, but it fell back down.
"Just rest," said Butler. He took the fluffy blanket off the chair and spread it on the floor. He lifted Holly and placed her on it.
"Is-Artemis okay?" she asked in a low voice, trying not to cough.
"He's fine," said Butler. "He's back, by the way."
Holly looked at Artemis, who had tears coursing down his cheeks. "Holly, I'm so sorry. I tried to stop Opal, but I couldn't do anything."
"I know," said Holly. "Butler, can you take me to where I can do the ritual? I have no magic left."
Butler approached Artemis and propped him up on the bed. "Will you be okay, if I leave for a bit?"
"Yes," said Artemis. "Take Holly to do the Ritual."
Artemis sat on the bed, exhausted, but grateful that Holly hadn't died. If Butler hadn't gotten there in time to do CPR, Holly wouldn't have made it. Artemis couldn't bear to imagine life without Holly.
You're going to pay, Opal, for what you did to my friend.
We'll see, Arty.
When Holly came back, she was full to the brim with magic. Artemis started to apologize, but Holly cut him off. She climbed into the bed next to him.
"It's not your fault," said Holly.
"I felt my hands on the chain," said Artemis. "I stayed cognizant this time, through the whole thing. I don't know why. I could feel you going limp against me…"
Holly placed a hand on his shoulder. "It's okay. Foaly will get the email and we can get you sorted out."
Butler made oatmeal for them to eat, since it was almost morning now. Holly fed it to Artemis with a spoon, giggling a bit when some of it dribbled down his shirt by mistake.
"Sorry," she said, wiping it off.
"Not so very good with the spoon, are we?" asked Artemis.
Artemis wanted to look through his library, for anything that could help. Butler cuffed Artemis's hands in front of him, and told him that if Opal took over, Holly would shock him with the Neutrino-not enough to harm him, but enough to stun him, so they could tie him to a chair or something.
In the study, Angeline came knocking.
"Sweetie, are you in there?"
Artemis looked, worried. "How do I explain to my mother that I am possessed by a maniac pixie?"
Butler removed his hand cuffs. "Talk to your mother. If Opal comes out, Holly will stun you with the Neutrino."
"Got it." Artemis gave stiff nod and went to the door and opened it, praying Opal didn't decided this was a swell time to come out. Angeline was standing there, looking cheerful.
"I'm going to Dublin, to see one of my friends," she said. "She's due to give birth in a couple of days, and I'm going to be with her, and help around the house. I'm taking Myles and Beckett with me, so they can play with her other kids. You'll be okay right?"
"Of course, Mom," said Artemis, feeling guilty. I'm just possessed by a mad pixie, and am liable to hurt my friends at any minute. "Go see your friend. I have Butler and Holly."
"Okay," replied Angeline. "Say bye to Arty."
Myles, dressed in his suit, like his brother, gave Artemis a questioning look. Beckett was wearing his favorite Wimpy Kid t shirt and raised an eyebrow at Artemis, as if expecting him to go ballistic any second now.
"I'll be fine," said Artemis, knowing Myles would understand what he meant. He knelt down.
"Be safe," said Myles, wrapping his arms around his brother's neck. Beckett flung his arms around too.
"Call me if you need me to beat up bad pixies," he said.
"Oh, Beckett, you and your pretend games," said Angeline, giving her son a hug. "I'll be back in a few days, hopefully."
Once the trio left, Artemis shut the door and held his hands in front of him, for Butler to cuff.
"Thankfully, Opal didn't take over," said Artemis, sitting in the faux leather chair at his desk. "It would not be good if my mother seen me suddenly flip out on her and Holly had to stun me. Now to the matter at hand-"
A knock sounded on the door.