Artemis lay on his bed, curled up into a little ball with his eyes tightly shut. Every muscle, every bone in his body felt like it was on fire. There was a gurgling sound that came with each breath he took. His head was head pounding, and he wished with all his might that there was something he could do, more than just ride it out. But even the great Artemis Fowl the Second, the criminal mastermind who had taken on the fairies - and won - could do nothing to defeat a bout of flu.

There was a soft knock at the door. "Artemis?" came a whispered voice. He gave no answer, knowing a coughing fit would follow if he did. The person came in anyway, padded softly across the carpet, and then putting something down on his bedside table. It sounded like a glass. "Artemis, I've brought you a nice drink of lemon squash," said Juliet quietly, before she tiptoed out again.

Rolling over, Artemis gently opened his eyes. He blinked a few times, propped himself up on one shoulder and then reached over to pick up the glass. He cautiously took a sip. No cough fit immediately followed, so he took another. And then another and another, until the whole glass was gone. Then he replaced the glass, and lay back down again.

That was when the coughing fit struck. He leaned over the edge of his bed, trying to control the spasms, and feeling like he was about to throw up. When it subsided, he grateful spread himself out on the bed.

Artemis had never been in a situation like this before. Manipulation and mind-games had always gotten him what he wanted. But no matter how many times he thought "I will not cough", he just couldn't stop it. Intelligence could do nothing to combat germs, and so here he was - helpless. It was a terrifying feeling.

There was another knock at the door, but this time Juliet came right in without even giving Artemis a chance to reply. "Here, I brought the honey," she said. "That's always good for coughs." She came and knelt down next to Artemis's bed, unscrewing the jar lid. He propped himself back up again, eyes trying to focus themselves on her face. Juliet delicately laid the lid down on his bedside table next to the glass, and used the spoon to scoop out a large glob of honey. "There you go," she whispered as she passed it to him.

Artemis took it eagerly. Whilst he was slowly swallowing small portions of the goo, Juliet replaced the lid on the jar, and picked up the empty glass to take away. "Thanks," he managed to croak as he handed the spoon back. He even smiled a little.

Juliet smiled sweetly back. "If you need me," she whispered softly, "just use the intercom. Okay, Arty?" He nodded quietly. Then she rose, and walked out of the room, closing the door behind her.

As he settled back into his bed, Artemis couldn't help smiling again. Flu might be hell, but at least some things made it bearable.