"Spectacularly?" Skulduggery repeated. He didn't stop picking through the cake slice, moving large crumbs to the outer edge of the plate and leaving the rest in a crumbling pile in the center. "I didn't realise I could be so impressive without saying a word."

Which was, of course, a bold-faced lie. Skulduggery was always aware of how impressive he was.

He stood up, put the cake back down on the table, and moved a few steps backwards toward the door, leaving his tea untouched. "If Saracen ever gets here," he told Erskine, "you're the one in charge of explaining who knows about him and who doesn't."