He gives Alistair a crooked smile, and returns his attention to the board.

Kieran eases out one of his grand clerics -- not too far. Cullen hides a smile: it's not the traditional way to counter the Llomerryn Defense, but if Kieran's anything like Cullen was at his age, he's grown tired of only playing his pawns.

Cullen, without saying anything further, moves another pawn to d6.