Artemis could only stare at her and smile. He still felt the pain of her death, but that would heal quickly now that she was alive again.

'A straight trade. I pick a public place, and we swap. My demon for your girl.'

'Thirty minutes, if that.'

Her current future. But the future could be changed.

'I am a charmer, I suppose,' said Mulch. 'And if worst comes to worst, I can always eat him.' He grinned widely at Holly's horrified expression. 'I'm kidding. Honest. I'd never eat a Mud Kid, they're too bony.'

Artemis smiled. 'No, I got the specifics from Foaly, not that he knows he's sharing information.'

'Sool knows he can't officially order you to use ter-minal force on a fairy. What he's doing here is making an unofficial recommendation. The kind that could have a major effect on your career. It's a tricky one, Holly. Best-case scenario, this all blows over somehow.'

Doodah took a chance. 'Yes. Human kids. I'm an alien today, pretending to be a human, so go away or I will reach down your throat and pull out your guts.'