Alistair puts his elbow on the table and his chin in his hand to gaze steadily at Cade and says, "Super."

Pause for effect. Maybe to let the dread build. He can still pick on him a little. But after that attempt to make him squirm, Alistair smiles--crookedly, not widely, a little sadly. A lot sadly.

"You didn't have to apologize to me, Cade."