“Are you…the Achelous?” Thunder asked.
The automaton trained its glowing eyes on her. It scrutinized Thunder’s face for a long moment before a smile appeared on its mechanical face.
“Indeed, I am, my dear,” he answered.
Sam noticed that the mouth had moved when Achelous spoke which was unlike the automaton they’d encountered underneath the lake. More proof that a god now inhabited its insides.
Achelous’ head dipped down so that his smiling face drew closer to Thunder’s face. That’s when he asked her if she was single.
Thunder raised an eyebrow at it. “Excuse me?”
“Hmm… you’re not very bright.” He rose back to full height, although his eyes never left hers, and his smile never vanished. “No matter. You’re pretty enough, and I’m fine with just that.”
The confusion on Thunder’s face quickly turned hostile. “Are you…are you hitting on me?”
“Hitting on you?” Achelous looked aghast. “Why would I hit such a pretty—Oh!”