A/N: HEY, FF! So, on my AO3, I posted a teaser for this chapter that I was supposed to delete, and rewrite for this release. However, I got so much positive feedback, I decided to leave it in. Please notice, if you are uncomfortable with this content, just pretend they are *not smoking*. It's just for laughs, it's a little self-indulgent, and though it is OOC I guess(?), whatever! It's fun, people seemed to like it, so it's staying in.😆✨️

THANK YOU to PhoenixPyres for being my phenomenal beta. He needs to be paid for how much he does for me and this story.

Thank you to Minerva4evah and dssax000 for the reviews! And thank you to everyone following and/or reading. I love you all.

This chapter contains explicit language and recreational use of cannabis. The song lyrics used are not mine and belong to a song called "So My Darling" by Rachel Chinouriri. I highly suggest you listen to the acoustic version for this.

Streams of golden, artificial light from the early morning hours streamed in through the windows that adorned a cozy kitchen. A tiny, adolescent elf jumped excitedly on her little tippy-toes, ecstatic to catch a sneak peak of her mother's soup on the stove. The little elf smiled up to her mother, tugging on her emerald apron. "Mama! Mama! When are the noodles done?!"

The mother smiled the most generous of smiles at her baby girl, kissing the messy mop of red hair on her head. "Wait for the water to boil, and watch the noodles rise. Not too long, or they'll lose their bite. But be careful, baby. The water's boiling."

Haven Water System

Lower Elements Hot Springs

The water's boiling, baby. Not too long, or they'll lose their bite.

The water's boiling, baby.

Get out, baby. Get out.

Holly snapped awake, alert and anxious as her eyes darted around her helmet. Foaly's hi-tech design constantly monitored Holly's vitals, so the second she hit the water and was knocked unconscious, it closed and drained excess water, the tiny tank on the side replacing it with artificial air.

Holly swallowed a dry breath and blinked, watching the faux sun rays shimmer across the surface, sinking deeper into the spring's depths. She blinked again. She was… alive? She glanced at the visor. The water's temperature read 106° F, ticking up slightly to 107°, then 108°. It's rising. But…? Holly blinked sluggishly in confusion as she treaded the blue waters around her. She wasn't… she wasn't boiling alive?

And then she realized. She skimmed the science logs - the LEP's term for magma flare predictions. There hadn't been one for three weeks, so the spring was cooler. Still scalding hot, but survivable. She checked the temperature again - 110°, when her helmet beeped. From the flashing science readout, a flare was scheduled any moment. Holly needed them out now.

Speaking of them, she whirled around under the water, eager to find Artemis. There! A little below her, he sank lifelessly into the navy depths. Holly wasted no time opening the throttle on her crumpled wings. Despite the damage, they'd still provide her speed. She dove down, locking onto Artemis' figure. The medical report above him flashed an urgent red alarm. Water inhalation detected. Drowning in progress.

Holly hastily scooped Artemis into her arms, propelling them upwards to the surface. She broke through, floating them on the surface for air. Holly's mouthpiece lifted apart, leaving just the visor. "Heal!" She patted his reddened face with urgency, his skin hot under her fingertips, but no magick escaped her. She was dry as desert stone. "Artemis, breathe! You need to breathe!"

But he was completely limp in her arms, flopping over to float on his back as she shook him desperately. Dammit. She needed to perform CPR now. Holly scanned the rock walls, eyes flicking a thousand miles a minute when - there! A small canal snaked into a grotto.

The alarm in Holly's helmet beeped again. Warning! Flare approaching. T-Minus 1 minute.

Holly didn't have a minute - they needed to get out now!

She wrapped her arms under his, dragging him as her throttle opened, her wings spluttering them across the rumbling, aqua waters.

113° F

Steam rolled off the surface as bubbles rose and popped around them, the spring blistering to life as Holly glided along the canal. The grotto was mere feet away.

116° F

Even with the protection of Holly's suit she could feel the heat increasing, heavy breath and heat fogging her visor. If she didn't give Artemis air in the next minute, he would die. If she didn't get him out of the spring in the next few seconds, he would die.

"Fuck," she swore through her teeth, holding onto him tighter as she zipped deeper into the dark cavern. "Fuck." Aragonite clusters glittered on the rock walls as the rotten stench of sulfur wrinkled her nose, the blue waters steaming and bubbling around her.

118°

"Fuck!" Holly smashed her side into a rocky bank, throwing an arm up over the ledge to climb onto a low-lying plateau. It was difficult to climb and roll onto the flat rock with one hand, the other still grasping Artemis' torn shirt. "C'mon!" she gasped, heaving his torso onto the ledge.

120°

Warning! No pulse detected.

She tucked her hands underneath his arms, pulling his soaked, dead weight out of the spring as quickly as she could manage. Her shoulders shook in pain, muscles stretched and threatening to tear, but adrenaline fueled her spirit into action. She was a soldier - this is what she existed for.

The ethereal spring bubbled around Artemis' dress shoes as she dragged his long frame out of the water, gasping in short breaths as she tugged and tugged backwards.

125°

But it didn't matter - he was out. She'd gotten them out. Holly dropped him onto his back and dug her fingers into her jumpsuit, ripping the sealed acorn from her neck. Of course, they were illegal. Of course, she didn't care. Her eyes darted between the acorn and Artemis. If she buried the acorn in the cave rock and completed The Ritual, she could heal Artemis. But by then, he'd be dead. And she wasn't a necromancer, despite as much as he relied on her to be.

Holly's teeth clamped down on her lip, bruising it red as she stared at his emotionless features. His life was losing its place in their world with every second she waited. No. She didn't have time for The Ritual - he needed her now.

"You better fucking survive this, Astroboy," she growled, opening his mouth and placing his head back. She pinched his nose and pressed her lips to his, giving him as much air as she could muster. And then she was on his chest, compressions of one, five, ten, before breathing as much heated desperation into him as she could give. She ripped off her helmet before starting the second round, her dripping braids swinging behind her.

"Breathe, Artemis!" Holly shouted as she pressed on his chest. "Breathe!" When he didn't awaken, she repeated the process - pressing her mouth to his to give him breath once, twice more. She went back to compressions, one, two, three. But it seemed hopeless. She froze, her eyes unwavering on his face. His lifeless face. His dead face. He was dead.

"N-" She couldn't even manage the word, the rest a sharp shriek in her throat. Her palm traced his cheek down to his parted lips, desperate for any movement, her eyes widening in their sockets. But there was nothing. He was dead.

You cannot let him die. Keep going, soldier.

Holly shook her head, regaining her focus. She started the compressions again, but got fed up by the ninth push, smashing a fist into his chest. "Wake! Up!" She leaned down and gave him air, blowing as much breath into him as she had in her lungs.

Artemis woke suddenly, choking as his eyes fluttered open, water coming up like bile from his throat.

"Oh my gods!" Holly cried, wrapping her arms around her neck and holding him close. "You're alive!"

He broke away from her with urgency to lean over the ledge, vomiting water into the spring. He felt his soul returning into his body with every purge of water from his lungs, painful, short gasps for whatever air he could muster in between.

"Oh, sorry," Holly winced, rubbing his back. "It's okay. You're okay." He eventually collapsed back into her arms and Holly felt an immense burst of relief wash over her as she kissed his head.

Her heart thumped in her chest as she buried her face into his drenched hair, unable to hold back the mass of tears that streamed down flushed cheeks. "I need you, Arty," she choked, overwhelmed with joy and gratitude. "I need you. I-I can't do this without you. You're my human. You're my person."

Artemis heard her. He wanted to reply, but his stomach ached and his throat was on fire. He couldn't manage any words - he could barely breathe. But hearing the strain in her voice, hearing Holly say she needed him? He couldn't help it, but her words made his heart soar. She saved him. She always did, didn't she?

A stupid smile plastered weakly to his face, smothered in the crook of her neck. He couldn't tell where they were, or what had even happened. But he felt so warm in her arms like this. He didn't care where they were. He never wanted to leave.

Holly finished her sobs, giving him a kiss to the head before breaking away gently. "Give me a minute, okay?"

She placed him on his side to crawl around for a damp patch of earth. The cavern had almost no soft soil, but her fingers sank into red clay and she frantically scooped it away, digging a small hole. She stuffed her acorn inside and patched the clay back on top, her fingers embedded in the moist earth.

"I return you to the earth, and claim the gift that is my right."

Nothing happened for a few heartbeats, or maybe even a hundred. But then a stream of cerulean sparks grew from the earth and snaked up her fingers and arm, then her other arm, until magick was spiralling out of the clay, surrounding her in a glowing corona of violent embers. Her spine arched, her head pinned upright as power filled her veins, restoring a molten vigor to her core. Her limbs vibrated and bucked, eyes rolling in their sockets, but she accepted every inch of power surging through her. She was so lazy with her magick, she always forgot how good it felt to run hot.

She smiled as electric sparks danced from her fingertips and crawled back over to Artemis. She pressed a palm to his clammy forehead and whispered, "Heal." As magick held him in its clutches, Holly cradled him in her arms again, pulling his limp torso into her lap. "We're okay, Arty. It's okay."

"It's okay?" he repeated sluggishly into her abdomen, mindlessly wrapping his arms around her.

"You're okay." She held him close, batting her eyes quickly at him in disbelief. She'd really saved him. However messed up he was, he was alive. She rested her chin on the top of his head, just wishing time would stand still for a while. "I'm so glad you're okay. Are you in pain?" He shook his head, at least she thought he did. "How do you feel?"

"Gone."

Holly laughed, running her fingers through his sopping wet locks. "Yeah. That's about right."

Thanks to Holly's healing his throat was no longer burning, but her magick couldn't erase the intoxicants still laced in his system, and her healing's effects weren't any less intense mixed with the drugs. But he didn't care anymore. He felt so loved, so special, even if it was temporary and likely the result of delirium.

"You saved me," Artemis choked out.

"Of course I saved you," Holly smiled, burying her face into his hair. "I couldn't do without you."

He remembered those words. She'd said them right before giving him his first kiss, the first act of romantic affection anyone had ever shown him. Re-hearing them now, he realized that, perhaps, she was right. Perhaps, he'd truly never gotten over it.

He lazily flopped over onto his side, turning his cheek so he could peer up at her. "Hi."

Holly met his dopey gaze. She couldn't help being a little amused. "Hi."

"You are very pretty."

"Oh! Thank you," she chuckled heartily.

"Like a black widow," Artemis murmured, throwing up his pointer finger factually. "Dangerous. Beautiful."

"Ah…" Holly chortled through a flushed smile at him. "You sure you're okay?"

"I'm okay. Are you okay?"

"I'm okay, Arty. Thank you."

"Okay…" he trailed off at first, closing his eyes. But a few seconds later he reawakened, repeating, "You're okay?"

"Yes, Artemis," Holly laughed now, returning to stroking his locks. "I'm okay."

"Okay... Holly?"

"Mhm?"

"I'm sorry."

"It's fine," she reassured. "It wasn't your fault for once… I think."

"I'm so useless."

"Shh. You are not useless."

"Holly?"

"Mhm?"

"Thank you for being my best friend." There was a pause between them, Holly slowing her fingers in his hair until she came to a halt. Artemis hardly noticed, his mumbling coming out with difficulty. "I- I don't even care if our relationship e- escalates or not. You're my best friend. The chance to be your friend is worth more than I deserve."

Oh, Frond. Here we go. Holly rolled her eyes over an enchanted smile, stroking his wet hair again as she stared off at a cave wall. It was wrong of her to let him speak this way while he was vulnerable, but she couldn't help but be charmed by such rare, raw affection from him. And after nearly losing him, was that so bad? "Arty... thank you. I really appreciate that."

"You're so strong. I- I admire you. I really do."

"I know. It's okay, get some rest, okay?"

"Okay." Artemis buried his face into her stomach, a smile nestled cozily on his lips. "Rest sounds nice...mmfblm." He suddenly registered where his face was in proximity to her and shot up, eyes wide with worry. "Holly! Is this okay?! Sooorry. Is thi- thi-s okay?"

Holly giggled into her hand as she stared at him in awe. Even like this, he was worried about making her uncomfortable. He really was one of a kind, wasn't he? "You're okay, Arty. Thank you for asking."

"You're sure?"

"I'm sure," she repeated sweetly, tenderly twirling his hair.

"Mkay." He crawled down, curling back into her lap. "...Holly?"

"Mhmmm?"

"Out of all of the places I've been, this feels most like home."

"In a dark cave?" she asked, looking around playfully.

Artemis made a strange noise, a choking chuckle of sorts. He chittered in his daze, "No, not the cave, silly. You. You are. In your arms, like this."

"Oh boy. What's your name again?"

Artemis squinted at her. "I am not Orion. I am Artemis."

"Cool. Just checking."

"Mmmf. You're warm." He held her waist tighter, snuggling his head between her small hands. He snoozed peacefully for a while until he muttered, "This is my favorite."

"What is?"

"Just laying here like this. With you."

Holly let out a hefty sigh through a fond smile. "You're being so sweet. Why can't you be like this all the time?"

"I am. I don't show it. Too risky." He buried his face into her jumpsuit again. It was a rare occurrence, but Artemis had so little running through his mind. His heart pounded in his chest, relishing the closeness to Holly. He understood now: he wanted to be in her arms like this, always. "I really like you."

"I know, it's okay." Holly nuzzled her face into his head, joyous warmth filling her chest. "Go to sleep, okay?" But instead of dozing off, he ogled at her with laden eyelids. Holly caught the gaze, getting lost in his blue stare.

"I really like you."

Her heart was ablaze, twisting into a pit in her stomach. He didn't mean it; he was stupefied. He didn't really still like her, did he?

"I- I really really like you, Holly."

She couldn't tell if the heat on her face was from her or the spring. Did she like him too? They held each other's lingering stare, and for a moment, Holly swore that time froze for them. "I know, Arty," she calmed him, her voice barely beyond a whisper. "I know."

But Artemis wasn't deterred. His hand flopped around for hers, gripping it tightly as he babbled in her lap. "I'll always save you, Holly. I- I'll die for you. Never again... let you die. Never, Holly... never-"

Holly heard enough. She coddled him in an embrace, stiffening at his words. "Okay, Arty. Shh. Go to sleep, mmkay?" His mumbles turned incoherent and she moved a finger to fondle his facial hair. "Shh." She remembered back to her sick days as a child. Holly would cling to a pillow as Coral soothed and sang her to sleep. The lullaby her mother sang was actually intended for her father, but Holly loved the mix of sharp and flat notes so much that she'd insisted it be sung to her too. She missed her mother's voice. And in the same way Coral had, Holly felt the desire to sing Artemis into a tranquil sleep. She cleared her throat, concentrating on the words as they floated into her mind.

Remember the first day we met, it was you

Talking to miss and I came and saved you

Then our friendship just suddenly grew

Started talking and then it all blew

Then we went down our separate ways

Felt really empty and everything changed

We reunited, it felt just the same

Now we love in a different way, yeah

So my darling, so my darling, so my darling

When our hairs are turning grey

Won't even remember our younger days

So my darling, so my darling

You are my best friend, you are my best friend

Remember I'll always love you

Holly's focus drifted from the rock walls to his face. He was so innocent snoozing on her, his pallid cheeks pink from the heat.

Remember I'll always love you.

She definitely loved him, but it was normal to love friends, especially one she was so bonded to. But Holly forced herself to look at Artemis, picturing another type of love with him. Her fingertip drew shapes on his cheekbone, sweeping over his parted lips, his hushed breath light and slow. Would she ever kiss him again? She imagined herself leaning in, a soft press of her lips to his. Did she hate it? Did the idea gross her out?

Holly found herself sinking deeper into the idea, her imagination running wild. She imagined him deepening the kiss, holding her tightly in his tall frame. She didn't despise it, she realized. She was craving it. She wanted him.

A sudden burst of cortisol boiled to life in her veins, and the incredible burden of barely saving his life crashed into her like a tidal wave. A million emotions rushed through her: guilt for bringing him to Haven in the first place; contempt for wanting something more from him when she was supposed to be healing him, caring for him; stress from how she was getting them out of the grotto; and most of all, intense relief that he was alive. Artemis was alive.

She wept into his neck, her sobs escalating into hyperventilating breaths. She'd nearly lost him. He almost died, again. They'd only survived out of pure luck. Holly gazed at him through blurred vision. "I can't lose you. I can't," she blurted, smashing her face into his neck again. "I can't. I can't."

Holly stared at the aragonite ceiling, snuggling a sleeping Artemis to her chest as the hours passed by. She tried to join him, as nice as the idea of dozing off and stumbling around the stars in her mind was, but her body was still wired from the action. Instead, she spent the past few hours thinking everything over, mostly about her feelings for Artemis. They were real, and they were there, she concluded. But her own trauma was holding her back. She couldn't imagine the heartbreak of him dying again, and as a human, he'd inevitably die much sooner than her. She didn't know if she could handle that.

And then there was the matter of their feelings in the past. When they'd travelled through time, just the two of them, Holly had actually considered seeing him as… more. Maybe it was foreshadowing their feelings for each other now, but if that was the case, did that mean he would trick her again too? Manipulate her? Lie? He still did these things now. He vowed to change… but was it enough? Did she have the guts to get over it and just go for it? She didn't think so.

Holly sighed, sitting up slowly to readjust the clinging Artemis. She rested him against his side, stroking his hair a little before standing on both feet. She ran a hand over her face with a groan. She'd spent enough time moping - it was time to spring back into action. She bit her lip and glanced at her helmet. She couldn't risk calling anyone on it - would someone be listening? She patted around her jumpsuit for her phone, finding it in one of the waterproof compartments.

"Perfect." She slid it on, the hologram projecting the call screen for her. Call Mulch? Holly slid the green button, waiting as the ringer dialed over the line.

"Ah, what do you want?" a familiar, gravely voice replied. "I'm on vacation!"

"Hey, Mulch," she greeted quickly. "I need a favor. Where you at?"

"Vegas. They got some kinda music festival this time of year, and most of the kids are too drugged to notice the cash from their pockets missing, heheh."

"How the hell did you get to Vegas?" Holly asked, stunned.

"I drove. The hell do you mean, Holly?"

"Drove?! Why did you drive?!"

"Eh. Walking was too much effort."

"Mulch!"

"I didn't want to put too many miles on the Lamborgfeeties."

Holly couldn't resist a crooked smile. "Frond almighty, Mulch, honestly." She heard a crackly wrapper on the line, deducing he was probably getting ready to shove a chocolate bar down his throat. "Alright, then. You're no help in America."

"Sorry. Catch me next time. Don't forget to say hi to the mud boy for me!"

"I won't. Take care, okay?" The line clicked and went dead, alleviating her anxiety a bit. Talking to Mulch was akin to spending time with a crazy brother, or that drunk uncle that always had a conspiracy theory. She was grateful for the comedic relief, and took a few breaths of pungent cave air.

"Who was that?"

Holly whirled around, her eyes wide on Artemis. "Hey!" She dropped to her knees beside him, helping him sit up. "You're awake. How do you feel?"

"Like I've come back from the dead," Artemis coughed, smoothing his bangs out of weary eyes. He looked around in confusion. "Where are we?"

Holly's mouth dropped a little, surprised at his question. "You… you don't remember?" When he shook his head, she grasped his hand in hers. Fuzzy warmth filled her heart, and she swore she felt a jolt of electricity shoot up her arm, but she shook it off. She clamped down on pouty lips. "What's the last thing you remember?"

Artemis rubbed his eyes, his brows furrowing in thought. "Er…" His blue irises widened then, a hot flush coloring his cheeks. Suddenly, he covered his face with his hand, breaking into controlled laughter. "I'm not sure I can say this aloud."

Holly arched an auburn brow. "Say it."

"No," he grinned in embarrassment.

But Holly wasn't having it. She snatched his hand, tugging it off his face with a large smile. "What is it?!"

"I- You-" He fought against her for his hand, but when he lost the tug of war, he resorted to using the other to hide his flustered face. "You were trying to open a, er, a duct? Is that what we did? And my, er, body betrayed me."

Holly gaped at him with squinted eyes. "Artemis, are you serious?"

He threw his free hand into the air. "You insisted!"

Holly dropped his arm. "Honestly, there are worse things you could've remembered," she sighed, patting his shoulder. "Consider yourself lucky."

"I can imagine," Artemis noted, raising a brow at his clothes. "My suit is ruined." He scanned the grotto, eyeing the now-broiling spring. "You're right. It's for the best that I don't remember what's transpired." He bent his knees, resting his arms across them. "So, how are we leaving this cavern?"

Holly scrolled through the contacts on her phone, nervously chewing her nails. "I'm working on it. I tried Mulch but he was a no go."

"I'm assuming you haven't contacted the LEP in fear they've been tapped?" When she nodded, Artemis tapped a finger to his chin. "And Lili? She's royalty, correct? Her home is likely guarded, and I'd be genuinely baffled if she was on the assailants' watch list."

She blinked twice at him. "Holy shit. You're a fucking genius!"

"Yes. I thought that was well-established by this point," he quipped with a sharp smirk.

Holly pulled up Lili's contact, dialing her on speaker. The line dialed for several rings, and before Lili could greet her, Holly exclaimed, "Lili! Please, please tell me you're in Haven."

"Ay, ay, Captain! Or, uh, Commodore, sir," Lili chattered jovially. "Why're you calling me on your phone, weirdo?"

"I need a massive favor. You can drive one of the small service shuttles, right?"

"Uh, yeah? Why?"

"Me and Artemis-"

"Artemis and I-" Artemis interjected factually before wincing at the nasty look Holly shot him. "Sorry. Sorry."

"Artemis and I-" she rolled her eyes, "-are stuck in the water system. We're like… in this grotto within the hot spring."

"I'm sorry, what?"

"I can't risk sending you coordinates," Holly continued. "This is a top secret mission, soldier, and lives are at stake. Can you help?"

There was some silence, but eventually Lili's smooth voice replied, "Tell me what to do."

Upper Levels, Haven City

Brookside Luxury Homes

Lili Frond was many things, but a sell-out she was not. Even if it meant keeping secrets from Foaly and Trouble, turning off her locator, and stealing a service shuttle for Holly Short. Well, she wasn't sure if it was really stealing since Holly appeared to be part of some covert mission. She justified it in her head, assuring herself this would all make sense when they arrived at her home.

It didn't. When the trio exited the garage with Artemis wrapped in cam-foil, and settled into the living room of her lavish two-story apartment, Lili was left with more questions than answers.

"So, Artemis is in danger?"

"Yes."

"And, you want me to babysit him?"

"I don't need a babysitter, thank you." Artemis rolled his eyes and plopped onto a velvet floor pouf, one of many scattered across Lili's ornamental rug. His fingers stroked the bright fabric, studying it carefully. "This is Sarouk Persian, isn't it?" He flipped the corner of the rug, running a finger along the bottom. "The fringe ends in warp strings, and the edge is hand overcast. This is an extraordinary rug. Circa 1890s? Perhaps 1895? I'd expect no less of a princess, of course."

Lili peered at him with a curled lip before glancing at Holly. "Is he always like this?"

"He does that when he's nervous," Holly explained, standing beside him with a hand on his shoulder. "I'm gonna head to Police Plaza and figure out what's going on. I'll be back soon, okay?"

Artemis met her eyes. He got lost in the fiery determination, her mismatched gaze like flaming arrows straight through his heart, heat blossoming through his chest and cheeks. "Y-yeah." He dropped the stare, fixing on the marble floor beneath the rug instead. "I'll be here, I suppose."

"Jesus. You make it seem like I kidnapped you," Lili groaned, playfully swatting at him. "Anyway, you look like shit. Why don't you shower? We can wash your clothes in the meantime."

"Sure," Artemis frowned, standing up slowly. He didn't feel too terrible, but he was a little nauseated when he straightened. "A hot shower sounds splendid."

Once in her bathing room, Artemis handed his clothes to Lili from around the door. She raised a brow at his tattered dress shirt. "Listen, my washer can clean in a microsecond, but there's no saving this. I'm gonna order you a shirt!" she called from the hallway. She perused Acorn, opting for a clothing site. "What size will you fit? Like, a centaur large?"

"Extra large, please," Artemis replied tersely. "Your large is rather small on me."

Holly giggled into her hand beside the blonde. "I have pictures to prove it."

"No way! I have to see!"

"Holly," Artemis warned, his voice muffled behind the door. "Don't, please."

"Too late!" Lili howled, zooming in on Holly's projector. "AH! You worked for Cub's?! You're sooo cuuute!"

"Can I shower in peace now?" Artemis grumbled, testing the water's temperature with his hand.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. We'll leave you be, old grump," Lili teased, striding to the laundry room with Holly, his clothes folded over her arm. Once out of earshot, she wiggled her brows at Holly. "Sooo. Have you two kissed yet?"

Holly nearly dropped her phone, her cheeks a bright cherry red. "W-what?! Of course not."

"Aw, bummer." Lili tossed Artemis' clothes into the metal machine, watching the rays blast and sanitize his clothes from the glass top. "So, why not?"

"It's… complicated. I don't have time to explain right now." Holly crossed her arms across her chest, avoiding eye contact. "Could you… could you talk to him while I'm out? You know, like, figure him out for me?"

Lili's face fell deadpan. "Are you, like, blind or something?"

"I know he likes me, Lili," Holly sighed. "I know that. But… I don't know. He just stopped dating my friend-"

"Ooh, that pixie girl in the tabloids?"

"Yeah. And, I don't know. He's never given any indication, besides confessions under some sort of influence."

"Uh, that's a pretty big indication."

"It's not enough," Holly shook her head. "I just… I can't risk ruining our friendship. He means too much to me. I- I can't risk wrecking that. I just, I don't know-"

"Listen," Lili interrupted, placing a reassuring hand on Holly's shoulder. "You head on to Police Plaza, and I'll see what I can dig out of him, okay? Sound good?"

Holly dropped her gaze, her brows furrowed in uncertainty. "Yeah," she sighed. She reached into her holster, slipping Lili her Neutrino. "Give this to him for me. I can't risk him being unarmed." Holly leaned in and hugged Lili. "Thank you. I really can't thank you enough for this."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Don't get all sappy on me!" Lili chortled, holding Holly at arms distance. "Be safe. Text me!"

It wasn't long before Artemis exited the steaming, warm shower, grateful for the aroma of eucalyptus and clean skin. Lili's towels, like most of the fairies, were tiny on him. He managed to wrap a white towel around his waist, holding the side tightly as he popped the mirrored contacts from his eyes and placed them on the counter. He could worry about them later. He slid open the bathroom door a hair, peeking into the hall. The hallway was empty, his clothes neatly folded beside the door.

Artemis buttoned what he could of his dress shirt, the wrecked material hanging off him as he made his way into her living room.

The blonde beauty snapped up from her phone, waving him over to join her on the floor pillows. "Hey! Your shirt will be here soon. Then you don't have to look homeless anymore!"

"Thank you," Artemis nodded, taking his place on a sapphire, velvet pouf beside her. "I really can't thank you enough for the hospitality. We are forever in your debt."

"Yeah, so, you better start paying up!" Lili joked, nudging his shoulder.

"How much would you like? I'd wire it to you now, but I don't have my phone."

"I was kidding." Lili rolled her eyes. "Take a look around. Do I look like I need money to you?"

"Point taken."

"There is something you can do for me, though."

There was something different in her voice, it was floaty and airy, sultry even. Artemis glanced at her, a fluffy brow raised. "Oh?" And before he knew it, she did something he could've never predicted: Lili crawled forward, aqua eyes fixed on him like a predator on prey. He gulped as he leaned back, blinking rapidly. "Uh-?"

But Lili pounced him, her face inches from his own. She batted thick lashes at him, gold flecks tainting her irises.

"Kiss me."

What?! His heart beat like a drum as her voice charmed him, smooth and layered. Was this some sort of low-grade mesmer? And like the mesmer, he found himself unable to look away from her face, his eyes dropping to her pink lips.

"I said, kiss me." She brushed her nose against his. "Come on. Don't wait."

Her lips hovered over his own, her breath like strawberries, enticing him with her beauty and charisma. A tiny part of him wanted to give into her spell, bewitched by her beauty and orders. But the rest of him, the whole of him, fought it with every fibre in his being. He couldn't kiss her. He didn't want to. He glanced up from her lips and she wasn't Lili anymore, but Holly. Her glowing, freckle-swept bronze skin. Her long, auburn waves dangling over pointed ears. Her cherubic lips, held by the most genuine of smiles. Her mismatched eyes were full of passion and resilience, one of them even his own. He wanted her, not her friends. Not anyone else.

"Artemis," Lili sang, breaking his imagination. "Kiss me."

"N-no." His head shook adamantly, paralyzed in place beside her. "No," he declared, closing his eyes, breaking her mesmer. "No."

Lili pulled a few feet away, her eyes as wide as her gaping mouth. "Oh…" A giant, devious smile replaced her shock, the thread of her spell snapped. She pointed a curious finger at him. "Good. Very good." She clapped her hands together, plopping back onto her own pouf. "This is very good. You pass!"

Artemis rubbed his eyes, feeling a little woozy after her mesmer. "I pass? Pass what?" His eyes widened in realization before narrowing at her. "You were testing me? But, for what?"

Lili raised her brows. "What do you think?"

Artemis stared at her, trying to gain a context clue or a hint. His only thought was Holly, but the likelihood of it being her was too absurd to consider. He gripped his forehead, irritation sweeping his cheeks with a pink flush. "I don't know. I'd prefer you tell me before I tell Holly what just occurred."

"Jesus. Between the two of you, I can't decide who's more blind," Lili groaned, palming her forehead. "You're a genius and you're telling me you can't figure it out?"

So, it was about Holly. But what was she getting at? "Explain, Lili," he ordered, his tone cold. "Now."

"You like Holly." Lili patted her pockets, scanning her rug as she searched for her pen. "Don't even bother lying to me. No one can just break my spelllike that, not without the will to drive them against it. Holly is obviously your drive. Am I right?" She shrugged. "I always am."

Artemis was flabbergasted. He didn't even know how to reply to her statements, instead consumed by another question instead. "Your spell? This wasn't the work of a mesmer?"

"Nope." Lili gave him a proud, pearly-toothed smile. "It's a royal thing, exclusive to our blood. It's similar to the mesmer, but not as intense. Think of it as exposing one's true will. How do you think the Frond family is so influential?"

"Interesting." Which prompted another question in him. "Did Holly put you up to this? This doesn't seem like her."

"Oh, Christ, no. She has no idea." Lili tilted her head in thought. "Well, she has an idea, though it's probably not this one."

"Then what are you testing me for, exactly?"

"To test if you were actually serious about liking her, and not just saying that to… you know…" she trailed off, letting him absorb the insinuation.

"A-absolutely not!" he stammered, waving his palms defensively. "I'm not that sort of man, despite how she makes me out to be. I know she jokes about me being a red-blooded male, however, I can assure you I am anything but."

Lili patted his shoulder. "Relax, I believe it. You couldn't have passed my test otherwise."

"Regardless, why are you testing if I really like her?" He lifted his knees, resting his elbow on them. He stared at the glossy marble floor, avoiding Lili's interrogative stare. "Why does it matter to you?"

"Because nothing is more annoying than seeing someone desire to be with another person they actually have a chance with, but are too afraid to take." She patted the hand on his knees. "Trust me."

Lili finally spotted her bamboo vaporizer beside his pillow, leaning across to snatch it. "Aha! Found you." She clicked the button down and inhaled, letting out a puff of fruity, white vapor. She blew it away from Artemis, handing the pen to him. "Wanna try? I only get the best."

"What is it?" Artemis asked out of disdain, rather than curiosity.

"Hybrid. 95.6% pure THC, imported straight out of Amsterdam." She shrugged her shoulders. "I have my servants bring them from mother's bi-weekly vacations."

Artemis cinched his eyebrows in concentration, remembering back to his research. "That… seems like an excessive percentage."

"Yeah, well. I'm an elf. Our healing is too thorough, so we need the higher dosage to even feel anything."

"Right. Well. I am not an elf, thus I do not have the regenerative abilities of an elf," Artemis countered, grimacing at the pen between her manicured fingertips.

"I'll just heal you if it's too much," Lili shrugged. "You can just say no. It's not a big deal."

"If I'm honest," Artemis started, leaning back against her white chaise. "I've always considered trying cannabis for research. In a controlled environment, of course. Normally, I'd say using it recreationally doesn't appeal to me, but given the day I've just had…"

"Fuck it."

"Essentially." Artemis swept his bangs off his forehead. "At this rate, I quite literally have nothing to lose."

Holly's promise from months ago echoed in his mind. Try something new everyday, even if it's something you wouldn't normally do. "Let's not mention this to Holly."

"Sure."

He took the tiny device from Lili, scowling at it. "I must have you know I don't normally partake in activities like this. This is very unlike me."

"So," she started, tapping a finger to her chin. "What you're really saying is that you're normally boring."

Artemis frowned. "I'm not boring. It's just-" He glanced back at the pen. "I'm an academic. A scientist. Doing this sort of thing recreationally defiles my work."

It was Lili's turn to frown now. She gestured to him. "Oookay. If you're really that unsure about it, just hand it here." She gave an authentic smile. "It's not worth beating yourself up about it later."

Artemis shrugged, pressing the button, watching the circle glow blue. He'd probably already smoked the substance earlier during the attempted kidnapping. "It doesn't matter now." He inhaled, coughing harder than he expected. He doubled over as his throat burned. "Hellfire," he choked, tears leaking from his eyes.

Lili chuckled, taking it back from him. "You get used to it." She looked him over suddenly, analyzing whatever she could of him. "Hmmm… what sign are you?

Artemis blinked at her, a strange sensation overcoming him as his throat recovered. "What?"

"Wait!" Lili sat up straight, peering at him closely. "Hmmm… too uppity to be a Taurus. Maybe a Capricorn? A Virgo?" She noticed his comm ring and grinned. "Sapphire. You're a Virgo, huh?"

She couldn't be serious, could she? "I am. September 1st," Artemis grinned with ridicule. "You're familiar with human zodiacs?"

"Um, yeah? Who do you think they stole it from?" Lili rolled her eyes, handing the pen back to him.

Artemis accepted it but didn't press on the button yet. "I'd assume you'd claim Irish astrology, not westernized fiction," he sneered.

Lili raised her palm playfully at him. "I will smack you, human!" she said teasingly, resting it back on her knee. "It's both. It's all the same. You idiots just call it different names then go oH thEyRe DiFFeRenT aNd OneS beTTer ThAn The OtHeR."

"Well, yes," Artemis gloaded. "Irish folklore is superior, thank you." He pressed on the pen's button, inhaling for his second and last round. He handed it back to her as he exhaled the vapor.

Lili sat back against her couch, rolling her eyes dramatically. "Jeez. Such a Virgo."

"Well," he coughed out. "What are you?"

"A Scorpio," she smirked at him. "Holly's a Taurus, you know. You know what that means for a Virgo?"

"I could lie and say I have not the slightest idea," Artemis chuckled, sitting back as his head felt a little floaty. "But embarrassingly enough, I've studied up on the subject."

"Of course you have. You're a genius."

"Yes. The difference is that it's personally not for me."

"That's fair."

"Yeah." Artemis chuckled again, finding the conversation amusing. Was this a side-effect? "An interesting one, nonetheless. Perhaps, my sense of humor has changed? Or, been altered?"

"What?" Lili asked as she stood, strolling away from the living room.

"...Did I say that aloud?"

"...Yes."

Artemis covered his eyes with the sleeve of his tattered shirt. "Oh," he replied, a stupid grin plastered on his face. "I'm curious about the effects is all."

"Well? Go on," Lili said, returning back into his line of sight with a tray of black clay teacups and teapot. "How do you feel?" she asked as she handed him a steaming cup.

"Honestly…" he took the cup carefully as he mulled the question over. "Fine? The same as usual, I suppose? But there's a glaring difference in perception. I've also noticed I have to make a conscious effort to restrict my laughter, considering I keep finding sporadic things humorous." He sipped the hot liquid, exhaling with a relieved sigh. "Mmm. That's nice. Is there a hint of rose? And hibiscus?"

"That's it," she grinned, placing her chin into her palm on her gold coffee table. "Go on."

"Well, I also feel like I can't see, but I can? Besides that, I feel fairly normal, albeit a bit more talkative." He scratched his chin, pondering it. "It's less intrusive than I imagined."

"Uh-huh. Do you wanna write this all down, or?" Lili teased.

Artemis scowled in response. He was making a fool out of himself, babbling on. He sipped the tea quietly, using twice as much mind-power to quiet the excited voices in his head. He had so many new thoughts, so many new theories he hadn't considered before. He placed the tea down, leaning into the chaise again.

"Oh! I'm supposed to give you this!"

Lili's voice broke his thoughts. He glanced at her as she shuffled through her pockets again, pulling out a Neutrino 5K. "Holly told me to give you this," she explained, handing it to him from the barrel. "You know how to use it, right?"

Artemis took the pistol, looking over the settings and feeling the grip. "Yes. We have a shooting range back at the family estate. It has been a while, however." He raised a brow. "Doesn't she need to approve my fingerprints?"

"I don't know. I'm assuming she figured it out," Lili shrugged, letting out another puff of vapor. "So… speaking of Holly…"

"What about Holly?" Artemis asked as he tucked the Neutrino into his pants and into the helm of his boxer briefs, hoping the weapon wouldn't ride down his underwear.

"Am I right? That you like her?"

Artemis pressed his lips into a thin line. Obviously, he liked Holly. But did he want to talk to Lili about it? Holly and her seemed to have something up their sleeves. It made him nervous, anxious even. What if they extracted information from him and then used it against him later? Could he risk that?

Holly is your best friend. She wouldn't do that to you.

But she most definitely didn't like him the way he liked her. Despite dating Keni, he didn't think about Holly any less. In fact, he only found himself thinking about her more and more.

"What are you thinking about?" Lili asked.

There he was - thinking about her again. "Holly."

"Do you think about her a lot?" Lili offered him the pen but he shook his head.

"It's getting stronger by the minute, thank you," he explained.

"Mmkay. Sooo? Hooolly?"

Artemis rested his head back, staring at Lili's endlessly tall ceiling. "I do think of her more than I care to admit. She's been occupying valuable mind space I could be applying to business ventures, inventions, theories… I could be in a museum full of the finest pieces, ancient artifacts, and rarest minerals, and yet, none of that would matter because she would be the most exquisite work of art there is."

Lili went silent for a moment, mostly because her mouth gaped wide open. "...Okay. That might actually be the cutest thing I've ever heard in my life. And I'm 93."

He turned his head to her. "I can't stop thinking about her this way. I'm aware that I like her. But, what does that mean, exactly?"

Lili scooted closer to him, patting his shoulder gently. "Oh, poor, poor, human. It means you're in love with her."

Artemis nearly spit out his tea. "Me? In love? No…" He shook his head, rejecting the idea as he took another sip… until the concept settled in and shook his core. Was he…? "Oh… Oh. I'm… I'm in love?" He set his tea down, watching his reflection in the ruby liquid. "And with an elf, no less."

"Hey! It's not all so bad," Lili said. "Elves are pretty fun, if you know what I mean."

Artemis gave her a subtle glare, his cheeks burning. "Can we stick to the subject, please?"

"I thought elves were the subject?"

"No. Holly. Holly is the subject."

"Yeah, she's an elf… Okay, okay I'm fucking with you." She poured herself some tea, leaning back as she sipped. "So, I mean, you love her. I just told you that. What else do you need to hear?"

Artemis sat up straight, putting his head into his hands on the coffee table. "It would never work between us. She would never give me that chance again, and I don't blame her. I don't think I trust myself either.

"I mean, how do you know it wont work?" Lili asked at first before squinting and leaned in, nudging him with her elbow. "And what do you mean by 'again'?"

"It's a long story."

"Okay?"

Artemis looked up, his shoulders tense. "...That'd I'd rather not get into…"

"...?" Lili rolled her eyes. "Do you want someone to tell you the truth or do you just wanna hide your head in the dirt all day?"

"Like an ostrich?"

"Yes. Like an ostrich."

"...I don't want to be an ostrich."

"Then just tell me," Lili said with an encouraging smile. "We have time."

It took a little under eight minutes, but Artemis told Lili the story of how he and Holly first met, their adventures together, their kiss in Rathdown Park, and eventually, Artemis' lies and manipulations that destroyed any chance of regaining that. By the time he had finished, he couldn't tell if Lili was half-asleep, or affected by their shared high. "That's about it."

Lili tapped a powder blue nail on the tabletop. "...Yeaaah, that's pretty fucked up, Artemis. You dug yourself a hole there."

"I know."

"You don't think she's over it?" she asked. Her tone was different now, casual. Relaxed and slow, like the way a typical stoner sounded on those comedy shows. "I mean, that was like over a decade ago?

"I don't think Holly is the sort to 'get over' things," Artemis answered doubtfully with air quotes.

"No? Hm." She tapped her chin thoughtfully, cocking her head to the side. "I feel like she would eventually. She's a pretty nice person as long as you're her friend."

"I really don't think she would recover those feelings," Artemis disagreed with a deep breath. "I mean, the likelihood of such an occurrence-"

"Artemis, shush. This isn't a scientific theory. These are matters of the heart."

"I've been told I'm bad at those."

"Well, luckily for you, you have the Looove Doctor at your service," Lili squealed with delight, poking his arm with her finger. "And she is prescribing you one big, chonkin' dose of confidence."

"...Can you prescribe confidence to someone?" Artemis blinked.

"Shush. Don't ruin my groove." Lili scooted her purple pouf to sit directly beside him. "You need to have confidence. That's what gets her."

"'Gets her?'"

"Reels her in," Lili explained, clutching her chest dramatically. "Sweeps her off her feet. Makes her heart swoon! Whatever you want to call it."

Artemis couldn't believe his ears. Surely, this was a jest? "You think if I have confidence, Holly will forgive me?"

Lili pressed her palms together, and with a heaving sigh pointed them at him. "...You're missing the point."

"Please explain."

"Holly is a reasonably dominant person. She doesn't like to hold someone's hand. She wants someone to be able to hold their own. Match her strength."

"Yes," Artemis agreed slowly. "This is true about her, but I don't see the correlation...?"

"Take the lead! Be a dominant human and ask her out-"

"A dominant human?" he spluttered.

"-Take her on a little date," Lili ignored him, continuing. "Tell her how you see her. Maybe even plant a little kissy on her."

"She'd punch me in the face."

"…"

"She punches people, Lili. You and I both know this."

"Do you ever find yourself having long, lingering stares with her?" she questioned. "Maybe you're holding hands and one of you doesn't let go?"

"Er- ah… yes. Sometimes."

"Do you talk easily? Like for hours but you could've sworn it was just minutes?"

"Yes," Artemis answered simply.

"Artemis, do you want to kiss her?"

"Of course," he groaned, when it registered just how much he'd told her. He hadn't even realized until now. He straightened his back, eyes narrowed at her. "Wait- wait! How… How are you-" Artemis couldn't resist an impressed smile. "Oh. You're good. Scarily good."

"I know," Lili smiled, tucking a strand of blonde hair behind a pointed ear.

"You'v- You've extracted more information out of me in minutes than therapists have in years," Artemis continued, aghast. "Surely, this is the work of the cannabis? Perhaps the mesmer? Like you displayed earlier?"

"You look pretty baked, so I can't answer for you," Lili chuckled. "But there's no mesmer here, Fowl. You're not the only genius around here."

Artemis couldn't decide if he would break into hysterical laughter or weep from her statement. Instead, he found himself staring at Lili in disbelief.

She stared back. "What?"

Artemis' eye twitched. "You're… you're not comparing your genius to mine-"

"No, Mud Man," Lili moaned, rolling her eyes. "I'm not saying I'm the same type of genius. I'm not obnoxiously pretentious unlike some people."

Artemis didn't reply, instead giving her a silent grimace. So, she clarified, "I'm an emotional genius. A social wizard, if you will."

Artemis was falling into intoxicated laughter now, pressing onto his stomach for support. "A-! A social wizard-!"

Lili crossed her arms, peering at him dangerously. "Are you done mocking me now?"

Artemis calmed himself, smirking at her. "I'm sorry. I was just being obnoxiously pretentious."

"…I can feed you to the guards, human."

"You're clearly fantastic at this," Artemis said, turning to fully face her. "So, with that in mind… What's your remedy for my situation?"

Lili rubbed her palms together, prepared to lay down her scheme. "Here's what you need to do-"

The mail tube on the far wall dinged and made a swoosh, the plastic container dropping into her delivery system. "Oh! Your shirt's here!" Lili crawled to her feet, sauntering lazily to her mail tube. "Don't go anywhere, Mud Man!" she exclaimed, jabbing a finger at him. "We're not dropping this!"

"I don't think I can stand, to be honest," Artemis chuckled, leaning forward to sip his tea. He swayed a little in place, euphoria prickling his skin. "I'll be surprised if that shirt even fits," he called out for her to hear. "A centaur extra large. What a time to be alive," he joked, leaning into his hands.

It'd been nearly thirty seconds now, and Lili hadn't replied. Artemis plopped onto his knees, looking over the lip of the chaise for the blonde. "Lili?" Her back was turned to him, still in front of her mail system. Artemis perked up, paranoia creeping through his veins, bleeding into pins and needles on his pallid skin. "Lili, what's happened?"

Lili's head whirled around, aqua eyes giant saucers in terror. "Run, Artemis! RUN!"

Oh no. His assailants hadn't let up. Before he could stumble to his feet the bomb in Lili's hands exploded, releasing thick smoke and gas. Artemis fumbled to stand, racing with two left feet as he made for her front door. But the gas was inescapable, engulfing his head and body instantaneously.

He coughed into his dress shirt, using the tattered remains to cover his nose and mouth as he ran past Lili. She was unconscious on the floor, as useless as he'd become in the next few seconds if he didn't make it to safety.

Artemis grit his teeth, reaching for the door knob. He was so close - his escape was right there. Just a little more! Gas burned his eyes, his vision blurred with heaps of tears. He held his breath, his lungs begging for fresh air. But just as his hand pressed against the cool metal of the handle, the gas entered his blood stream, shutting down his brain. He slumped over, crashing to the marble floor. A dark shadow stood above him, and before Artemis could discern whether the figure was real or not, his mind went blank and he sank into nothingness, his world now dark and cold.

Police Plaza

Operations Booth

Holly chewed the inside of her cheek beside Foaly. Secure inside the Ops Booth, they'd staked out the security cams, observing the shifting hover screens that showcased every beat in Haven City.

"Have you found anything?" Holly asked hurriedly. She found herself shifting side to side restlessly. She was so anxious away from Artemis' side, and she couldn't shake the nagging feeling that things weren't as dandy as they appeared to be. "Please, Foaly!"

"Holly, I love you," Foaly said randomly. "You know that, right?"

"Yeah? I love you too. Now, what are you afraid to tell me?"

Foaly gave her a long face. "Someone's tampered with my footage. Someone that isn't Artemis."

"Are you sure it wasn't Artemis?"

Foaly turned back to his screen, opening up the code files for her to see. "I'll explain in a way you understand, no offense. The style of hacking is different. I've come to recognize Arty Boy's style, and this isn't that."

"You can't recover the original footage?"

"I'm trying to, Holly," Foaly whinnied, stomping a hoof. "These things take a bit of time-"

"Okay, okay." She rolled her eyes, tapping her foot against the metal floor. "I can't shake this bad feeling."

"You get those when you haven't eaten."

Holly chuckled, staring at her feet. "Yeah. I am pretty hungry."

"Oh no."

Holly shot up, nudging Foaly aside to gaze at the screen. "Oh no, what?!"

He pointed to one of the taller screens above, vitals for different officers on the display. One's was flashing red, the name: Captain Lili Frond, Retrieval.

Holly couldn't believe her eyes, rubbing them in disbelief. "What is it?! What's wrong?!"

"Her vitals show that she's unconscious, but healthy and breathing," Foaly read from the report. "For over two minutes now."

Holly wasted no time calling Lili on her wrist communicator. The line buzzed on and on, but as suspected, the captain did not answer. Holly tried her ring next, flipping the carnelian to reveal the comm underneath. The dial rang and rang, but like Lili, Artemis did not answer.

"Fuck!" Holly shouted, throwing on her helmet. She whirled around to race out of the booth, yelling to Foaly over her shoulder. "Relay this to Trouble! I've gotta go!"

And she was gone, dashing out of the automatic double doors. Foaly didn't bother trying to stop her. When an elf had their sights set on something, there was no changing their direction. And when Holly had to save her friends, absolutely nothing would stop her.

Brookside Luxury Homes

It only took Holly four minutes to escape Police Plaza and fly to Lili's apartment with a fresh set of Dragonfly wings. She charged into the ritzy building, soaring through Lili's floor until she reached her door. Holly tugged on the handle but the door opened with ease, thick haze escaping from the apartment.

Holly's helmet closed completely, protecting her lungs from the noxious gas that drifted by her. "Artemis?!" she called out as she raced into the apartment, locating Lili on the marble floor. "Lili!"

Holly whizzed to her side, tucking her hands under Lili's arms, hoisting her backwards out of the smoky living room and into the recycled air of the hall. "Heal!" Holly demanded, a mix of amber and blue sparks jolted Lili, causing the hexagonal panels on her suit to glow like a radioactive shimmer. She rested the blonde against the wall, the vital above Lili's head reading Unconscious, Stable Condition.

Holly stormed back into the apartment, zipping around every nook and cranny for a handsome human. Her human. "Artemis! ARTEMIS!" But her thermals displayed no signs of life on either floor. Artemis was gone.

"ARTEMIS!" Holly screeched in the center of the massive living room. Police sirens sounded off in the distance, cold sweat dribbled down her face, and Trouble Kelp was calling her, her helmet buzzing away. But all Holly could think about was Artemis. He was gone. She'd failed him. And he was gone.

Holly buckled, sinking to her knees. "No," she breathed, tears leaking from her eyes. "No." She threw her head into her hands as her shoulders trembled. Her heart raced in her chest, like it would explode all over the apartment any moment. "No."

The sirens were closer now, her helmet still buzzing. She needed to compose herself. She couldn't help Artemis like this. She gulped a huge breath of filtered air, eyes cast downwards - when she noticed a piece of plain paper on the cold floor. Holly hesitated, reaching her hand out slowly. She smoothed it out, looking over the note.

If you want Fowl, come get him.

Hwy 75, 322 O'Brien Park, Kinsale, Ireland.

Come alone, or he dies.

Holly couldn't believe it. They still had a chance. She crumpled the paper in her hand, hopping to her feet.

"I'm coming, Artemis. Hold on for me. Please."

Unknown Location

Few things genuinely surprised Artemis Fowl the Second. Artemis was always at the top of his game, always ten steps ahead. He knew the risks of being a brash business mogul without a trusty bodyguard, and yet, he'd assumed he'd be safe in Haven with Holly by his side. Unfortunately for him, Holly was not a bodyguard, and therefore was not at Artemis' disposal for every complaint and need, and now the genius had gotten himself kidnapped.

Kidnapped! Him! And not a planned kidnapping either, like he had pulled off in Chicago, or Tokyo. Truly, this wasn't one of his proudest moments, and had he been conscious, he likely would've smacked his skull around until the jumbling fixed his brain.

Speaking of consciousness, Artemis slowly came to. His eyelids fluttered in their sockets, straining to see his surroundings. He straightened his back, stretching himself out of sleep, but he couldn't lift his arms - they were tied together in some sort of rope. Artemis shifted a little. He was tied to a chair. Do kidnappings always include being tied to a chair?

Artemis blinked again, hoping his vision would return. But as his senses settled and absorbed the new environment around him, he realized he couldn't see because of the dark sack over his head. He grimaced, a groan escaping his throat. Fantastic.

"Awake?"

A deep, robotic voice startled him. Artemis popped his head up, taking in whatever touch, sound, and smell he could. Any advantage might prove the difference.

"Good."

The voice was anonymous with a pitch-changer and was present in the room with him, rather than from a loudspeaker. That meant he was entirely at this person's, or persons', mercy.

"I'm assuming this is related to my exports within The Black Alley, correct?" Artemis risked inquiring. "A simple negotiatio-" He soon regretted the decision when a hand pressed over his mouth, restricting his access to air in the sack.

"I didn't say you could speak." The voice was monotone, deep and uncaring. The hand pressed harder, a threat of what was to come. "You're nothing but a hostage, understand? Speak when you're spoken to, or I'll kill you."

Artemis tried holding his air but he was running low, and he couldn't help choking for a breath or two. The hand released him and he sucked in air, his chest swelling with every grateful breath.

"Say your name."

"Artemis Fowl the Second," Artemis answered, anxiety rippling through his chest, his stomach roiling with nausea. A realization struck him. I'm… nervous? I wasn't nervous in Tokyo. Why now?

Am I afraid to die?

It was a good realization, one that twinged a subtle smile on his lips. He cared about his own life, and that wasn't something he'd experienced in the last five years. He cared.

"Do you speak Gnommish, human?" the voice asked in Gnommish, detaching him from his thoughts.

"Yes," Artemis nearly scowled, also replying in fluent Gnommish. He had another realization. His accent had changed a little, going from saying yes properly to a more casual form of Gnommish, closer to yeah. He chuckled, keeping his head low to soften the sound.

The anonymous interrogator grabbed a handful of hair through the sack, yanking his head back hard. "Is something funny, human?"

"No. Sorry." They didn't release him, however, and he could feel a presence close, almost brushing against the exposed skin through his tattered shirt.

"You're wondering what I want with you, right? Why are you in Haven City? Why are you in The Black Alley?"

Artemis gulped. He'd prefer not mentioning Holly, so he'd have to settle for a version of the truth. He didn't have anything to hide, exactly… except his meeting with the Council. But he couldn't risk mentioning it without knowing if his kidnapper was even aware. Artemis missed Butler at the moment, wishing his loyal friend would break in any moment to rescue him. Toughen up. You did this to yourself. Get yourself out of it.

Artemis blew a quick breath. "I'm in Haven to expand my business. I create and export artelite, a substance I founded while on a Martian expedition. I don't mean any harm to your people. I want to bring our worlds together."

His kidnapper chuckled, the sound crackling through the voice-changer. "You mean, you'd like to benefit from both illegal and legal transactions, whilst disguising the process as an ethical business model to The Council? Cleaning the Alley helps the People, how, exactly?"

Artemis sucked on his bottom lip, analyzing the person's speaking patterns. They changed slightly from conversation to conversation, meaning they were purposefully trying to throw him off. This person was smart.

"Artelite helps the People in many ways. It provides them clean, zero-emission fuel for vehicles. It works as a power source for both commercial and residential-"

A hard pressure to his temple cut him off. Was it a gun? The handle of a knife? He pressed his head against the object, as if feeling it. There were two points of pressure. Like a double-barrel? Or maybe… fingers? Artemis shifted his head a little, testing the rigidity of the object. It was definitely not a hard, metallic weapon. That meant this person was bluffing. They didn't want to kill him. So, what did they want?

"You talk too much," the kidnapper snapped. "You don't have much time left. Speak fast."

"Actually, I have a question for you:" Artemis countered, his tone more smug than expected of one tied in a chair. "You say you will kill me, however, what is the purpose of keeping me hostage without a ransom in play? In addition, if I may continue, killing me wouldn't benefit you. You may regain control of The Alley, but you won't have access to artelite, nor will you know how to recreate it."

"So? Give me the formula and leave the Alley alone, and you walk out of here alive. Or, I'll kill you."

"I don't think you will."

Tension bloomed from the silence that befell them, the pressure coming off Artemis' temple. "You're awfully cocky for someone tied in a chair, completely at my mercy." The anonymous person circled him, the robotic voice bouncing around the room. "A human in Haven. How did you even manage that? Did you really think they wouldn't turn against you?"

"I suspected it," Artemis admitted.

"Yet, you continued? How did you even meet with the Council? How did you obtain a visa?"

"These are very specific questions," Artemis chuckled. "I'd say you're more concerned with my being in Haven than my business in The Alley."

"You don't know anything, Mud Man," the voice said, drawing in close. He could feel their presence in his personal bubble, their face pressing into his sack. "You shouldn't have access either. If other humans aren't allowed in Haven, neither should you."

Artemis almost replied, opening his mouth to drag on the conversation for further analysis, when he caught a faint, floral whiff through the sack. It was so familiar. Artemis tensed, his limbs frozen, the realization smacking him like a bowling ball. He knew this smell. He'd become very familiar with it, though it was long ago. Still, his memory was impeccable. He couldn't be wrong.

A large smirk stretched sweaty cheeks. He lifted his head slowly, as if he could look into this person's eyes. "Still resentful, I see. A shame. I've no idea what I've done to offend you, but this is surely not the appropriate response."

The robotic voice chortled, causing crunchy feedback. "What're you talking about?"

"You know as well as I do."

"Oh? Do explain."

Artemis would've cracked his knuckles had they been free. It would've been nice to see his captor, relishing the disappointment in their eyes with his display of genius. But, from inside of his sack, he took what he got.

"There were several occurrences that shaped my conclusion. The first was the manner in which I was drugged. You could have easily tranquilized me with a dart or a drink, but you chose for it to be smoked. This tells me that you were concerned that the dosages involved in a dart or a drink are harder to regulate. Let's say your goons made a mistake and gave me too much, you couldn't risk me dying, because you need me alive. Dosing the cigar yourself is fool-proof."

"Go on."

"Of course. The second occurrence was the method of intoxication. Intravenous injections, like a dart, or oral consumption, like a drink, have more intense highs, but a shorter half-life in the human body. The best way to extend their duration is through smoking. Smoking is gradual, residual, and allows for several different substances to be activated at separate times. The third occurrence was the color of the smoke. Fairies tend to stick with colored smokes, like violet and emerald. Yours was colorless, which indicates human manufacture. Through careful consideration, I concluded that whoever paid for my abduction must be a human." He paused, and though he was sure they couldn't see his smug smile, he was sure they could hear it in his voice. "I can keep going, if you'd like."

"Oh. I'm very intrigued. Continue to entertain me, human."

"Well, since you insist: the fourth clue was how you went about the abduction. Most would subdue their victim as quickly as possible, maintaining control over the operation. You, on the other hand, went about this inefficiently. But, not because of poor planning. No. This was exactly what you wanted."

"A game of cat and mouse?"

"Precisely. The confidence you displayed in your plan and intelligence is atypical of criminals. You were able to play with your cake, and eat it too. Which brings me to my next point: you were able to locate me within Haven, sneak an explosive past royal security, and have me escorted out. That's beyond impressive, even by my standards. I hadn't anticipated being caught at our location. And I anticipate everything."

"Mostly."

"Mostly," Artemis repeated with a chuckle. "The fifth hint is your Gnommish. I've lived in Haven for two months, and your grammar is a little outdated. It's almost too formal, a mistake I made when I first moved there. And, finally, the clue that gave it all away, and confirmed my suspicions, was your scent."

There was a brief pause. The kidnapper was obviously caught off-guard, and Artemis could tell they were scrambling for a reply. "My scent?" they finally asked, the voice-changer still robotic and monotone.

"You smell of violets. It's a scent I've grown accustomed to. One I can't forget."

Another light pause, when eventually, the smoldering question was finally ignited. "Who am I, Fowl?"

"Paradise."