The slime on top of the table hopped once.
"Surprise, motherfucker," it said.
Lucien just stared.
For one absurd moment, his mind went completely blank.
Too many feelings hit at once. Shock. Recognition. Suspicion. A strange urge to laugh. A stronger urge to grab the slime and shake it until answers fell out.
The others were no better.
Eirene's eyes had widened. She looked as if she wanted to speak, then decided with visible effort that whatever she wanted to say could wait.
Lilith, who had never met the Primordial Slime, looked from Lucien to the slime then to the others with open confusion, as if she were trying to determine whether everyone else had gone mad.
Shadow, on the other hand, closed his eyes and rubbed his temples.
At last, Kaia spoke.
"Leader," she said flatly, "enough of your nonsense. There are more important things than your terrible sense of humor."
The slime turned toward her.
"Boo," it said. "What a killjoy."
Then its body rippled.
