This book begins in Barcelona, Spain, where Artemis Fowl Jr and his bodyguard, Butler wait for and eventually encounter a demon. Meanwhile, Wing Commander Vinyáya brings Holly Short and Mulch Diggums to secret organization, Section Eight which monitors demon activity. There, Foaly informs them that Artemis Fowl was able to predict a demon materialization. Holly is sent to ask Artemis how he could do so.

On the demon island of Hybras, which is suspended in "Limbo" (where time is nonexistent), №1, an imp, is bullied because he has not "warped" (changed into a mature demon). After turning a wooden skewer into stone, №1 wonders if he is a warlock, though they all supposedly died. Leon Abbot, the leader of the demon pride, uses something suspiciously like mesmer to urge №1 to leave for the human world ( their names where given through a book that Leon stole from the human world).

Artemis, Butler, and Holly are at the Massimo Bellini Opera House, where Artemis has predicted a demon appearance. After seeing a girl present at Artemis's first demon encounter, Artemis concludes that she knows something about demons. She is identified as Minerva Paradizo, and leaves for her residence with Holly following. After being trapped by Minerva, №1, in Minerva's home, tells her about demon culture. He also learns that Leon Abbot visited this very place under care and that the spell holding Hybras in Limbo is failing. Holly has feigned unconsciousness and is in a cell with Billy Kong (one of Minerva's henchmen). She manages to knock him out.

When Artemis distracts Minerva, Holly and №1 escape. Kong, who has some inaccurate knowledge of demons, demands that Minerva obtain another demon to avenge his deceased brother, for which he holds demons accountable. She is unable to comply, and he takes her hostage. Artemis, however strikes a deal in which he will trade №1 for Minerva at the Taipei 101 in Taiwan. Kong plans to strap a bomb onto №1 and remove the silver bullet anchoring №1 to this dimension. However, Artemis has already removed it, and with the help of a large silver damper in the building, Holly is able to keep №1 in this dimension. With the suspicion that №1 is a warlock, Artemis asks him to return a circle of statues bearing close resemblance to №1 back to life as there is a possibility that the statues were once warlocks and were magically turned to stone. Only Qwan is alive. The bomb is revealed. Holly, Artemis, №1, and Qwan leave to dispose of the bomb, but the time tunnel sucks them onto Hybras. Artemis reasons that the bomb will provide sufficient energy for a spell to reverse the original time-spell. Qwan tells him that at least five magical beings will be necessary. They all know that there are only three. What will happen? Again, I know because I read the book. So far, this is my favourite Artemis Fowl Book, it is also the longest, AWESOME!! Read it! 1143 pages of pure Artemis fowl!!!