foot. Opal was also horrified to discover that her adopted parent kept pigs, and that cleaning out the sty was another one of her seemingly endless duties. By the time the LEPretrieval team came for her, she was almost happy to see them.
E7, HAVEN CITY
Julius Root’s recycling ceremony was held the day after Artemis and Holly arrived in Haven City. All the brass turned up for the commitment ceremony. All the brass, but not Captain Holly Short. Commander Sool refused to allow her to attend the commitment, even under armed guard. The Tribunal investigating the case had not yet made its decision and, until it did, Holly was a suspect in a murder investigation.
So she sat in the executive lounge, watching the commitment ceremony on the big screen. Of all the things Sool had done to her, this was the worst. Julius Root had been her closest friend, and here she was, watching his recycling on a screen, while all the higher-ups attended, looking sad for the cameras.
She covered her face with her hands when they lowered an empty casket into the ornate stone decomposition vat. Had there been any actual remains, the bone and tissue would have completely broken down and nourished the earth.
Tears leaked out between Holly’s fingers, flowing over her hands.
Artemis sat beside her, a gentle hand placed on her shoulder. ‘Julius would have been proud of you. Haven is here today because of what you did.’
Holly sniffed. ‘Maybe. Maybe if I had been a little smarter, Julius would be here today too.’
‘Maybe, but I don’t think so. I have been thinking about it, and there was no way out of that chute. Not without prior knowledge.’
Holly lowered her hands. ‘Thanks, Artemis. That’s a nice thing to say. You’re not going soft, are you?’
Artemis was genuinely puzzled. ‘I honestly don’t know. Half of me wants to be a criminal, and the other half wants to be a normal teenager. I feel like I have two conflicting personalities and a head full of memories that aren’t really mine yet. It’s a strange feeling, not to know who you are exactly.’
‘Don’t worry, Mud Boy,’ said Holly. ‘I’ll keep a close eye on you, to make sure you stay on the straight and narrow.’
‘I have two parents and a bodyguard already trying to do that.’
‘Well then, maybe it’s time to let them.’
The lounge’s doors slid open and Foaly clopped in excitedly, followed by
Commander Sool and a couple of flunkies. Sool was obviously not as thrilled to be in the room as the centaur, and had brought the extra officers along just in case Butler got agitated.
Foaly grabbed Holly by the shoulders. ‘You’re clear,’ he beamed. ‘The Tribunal voted seven to one in your favour.’
Holly scowled at Sool. ‘Let me guess which one.’
Sool bristled. ‘I am still your superior officer, Short. I want to see that reflected in your attitude. You may have escaped this charge, but I will be watching you like a hawk from now on.’
Mulch clicked his fingers in front of Foaly’s face. ‘Hey, pony boy. Over here. What about me? Am I a free dwarf?’
‘Well, the Tribunal decided to go after you for the grand theft auto.’
‘What?’ spluttered Mulch. ‘After I saved the entire city?’
‘But,’ continued Foaly, ‘considering the time already served for an illegal search,
they’re prepared to call it even. No medal, I’m sorry to say.’
Mulch slapped the centaur’s haunch. ‘You couldn’t just say that, could you? You had to draw it out.’
Holly had not stopped scowling at Sool. ‘Let me tell you what Julius told me shortly before he died,’ she said.
‘Please do,’ said Sool, his words dripping with sarcasm. ‘I find everything you say fascinating.’
‘Julius told me, more or less, that my job was to serve the People, and that I should do that any way I could.’
‘Smart fairy. I do hope you intend honouring those words.’
Holly ripped the LEP badge from her shoulder. ‘I do. With you looking over my shoulder on every shift, I won’t be able to help anyone, so I’ve decided to go it alone.’
She tossed the badge on the table. ‘I quit.’
Sool chuckled. ‘If this is a bluff, it won’t work. I’ll be glad to see the back of you.’
‘Holly, don’t do this,’ pleaded Foaly. ‘The force needs you. I need you.’
Holly patted his flank. ‘They accused me of murdering Julius. How can I stay? Don’t worry, old friend. I won’t be far away.’ She nodded at Mulch. ‘Are you coming?’
‘What, me?’
Holly grinned. ‘You’re a free dwarf now, and every private detective needs a partner. Someone with underworld connections.’
Mulch’s chest swelled. ‘Mulch Diggums, private detective. I like that. Hey, I’m not a sidekick, am I? Because the sidekick always gets it.’
‘No. You’re a fully fledged partner. Whatever we make, we split.’
Holly turned to Artemis next.
‘We did it again, Mud Boy. We saved the world, or at least stopped two worlds colliding.’
Artemis nodded. ‘It doesn’t get any easier. Maybe someone else should take a turn.’
Holly punched him playfully in the arm. ‘Who else has our style?’ Then she leaned in and whispered for his ears only, ‘I’ll be in touch. Maybe you might be interested in some consultancy work?’
Artemis cocked one brow and gave a slight nod. It was all the answer she needed.
Butler usually stood to say goodbye, but on this occasion he had to make do with kneeling. Holly was barely visible inside the hug he gave her.
‘Until the next crisis,’ she said.
‘Or maybe you could just visit,’ he replied.
‘Getting a visa will be more difficult, now that I’m a civilian.’
‘You’re sure about this?’
Holly frowned. ‘No. I’m torn.’ She nodded at Artemis. ‘But who isn’t?’
Artemis treated Sool to his most scornful gaze. ‘Congratulations, Commander, you have managed to alienate the LEP’s finest officer.’
‘Listen here, human,’ began Sool, but Butler growled and the words withered in the commander’s throat. The gnome stepped quickly behind the larger of his officers.
‘Send them home. Now.’
The officers drew their sidearms, aimed and fired. A tranquillizer pellet stuck to
Artemis’s neck, dissolving instantly. The officers hit Butler with four, not taking any chances.
Artemis could hear Holly protesting as his vision blurred like an Impressionist painting. Like The Fairy Thief.
‘There’s no need for that, Sool,’ she said, catching Artemis’s elbow. ‘They’ve seen the chute already. You could have returned them conscious.’
Sool’s voice sounded as though he were speaking from the bottom of a well. ‘I’m not taking any chances, Captain, I mean, Miss Short. Humans are violent creatures by nature, especially when they are being transported.’
Artemis felt Holly’s hand on his chest. Under his jacket, slipping something into his pocket. But he couldn’t ask what because his tongue would not obey him. All he could do with his mouth was breathe. He heard a thump behind him.
Butler’s gone, he concluded. Just me left.
And then he was gone too.
FOWL MANOR
Artemis came to gradually. He felt well and rested, and all his memories were in place. Then again, maybe they weren’t. How would he know?
