"You're only saying that so I'll keep coming up," she said it as if she knew, as if she was sure, though she wasn't entirely. He was a mystery, that hadn't been teasing, and he was harder to read than almost anyone she'd ever met. "So that you can keep thrashing me at Chess. We might have to pick up other games I'm better at. Gobstones, maybe. Happy families..." She laughed, moving again, walking the line between defense and offense.
When she was done she looked up at him evenly, like she was evaluating him, then smiled again and took another drink of wine. She was starting to feel warm, again, and wondered if the wine he'd summoned hadn't been a little stronger than her sweet red had been. "There are quiet a lot of rumours. Perhaps you ought to just clear them up all at once for me?"