I suppose I can't fault you there; I've certainly never found you lacking for guard. [mentioned as offhanded observation, happily watching as his first wine glass is filled. Really, Chilton shouldn't be frowning at all - their bartender was kind enough to select only a fifty dollar bottle, when she could have gone all the way to a hundred and fifty. Quite the bargain.

Ah, but you'd think it a magic trick, how the wizard's good cheer vanishes at the question. He flinches, eyes sharp and cutting up across the space between them, fingers curled around the base of his glass.]

Don't call him that. [a flat, fair warning. It seems Chilton's stumbled on an ember of pride not yet snuffed, and it flares at the insult.] Come to that, I think we've exhausted this topic entirely.