I spotted Matt and J.T. trailing in Thorin’s wake as they walked out of the forge as I headed out toward the holly hedges about half an hour later. I’d left Thom to negotiations with Tala about our victuals for the next few days, though I was fairly certain it’d be entertaining to anyone sticking around to watch. I’d borrowed one of Jacqueline’s baskets and headed out with a pair of shears to gather up some holly to decorate for the season.
I paused, watching as they tramped across a crust of snow to where there used to be volleyball nets on Robinson Field. An axe head gleamed in the afternoon sun, set into a shaft of dark wood that Thordin held comfortably in one hand.
To my surprise, he turned and lofted the axe to my brother. Matt caught it so easily that I stopped dead in my tracks, just staring at them. Thordin unslung the axe he carried across his back, then nodded to Matt.
“Come on, then. Let’s see what you can do with it and don’t worry about hurting me. I’ll dodge.”
What in blazes are they doing?
Matt came at Thordin with the axe and I almost dropped my basket. Thordin swung his own axe up, catching Matt’s swing and deflecting it easily. His shoulders and arms flexed and Matt stumbled back, axe swinging wildly for a moment.
I caught my breath even as my brother caught his balance.
What the hell?
“What the hell are you guys doing?” I found myself bellowing as I marched toward them, basket thumping against my hip.
Both men froze. J.T. winced and Thordin, whose back had been mostly to me, turned slowly.
“Ah, just a little sparring,” he said. “Your—er—Matthew asked if I could give him a few pointers.”
“With an axe?” I glanced at Matt. “What happened to swords?”
“I’m crap at swords,” he said. “Ask your husband, he’ll tell you.”
“He said you were starting to pick it up.”
Matt snorted and nodded to Thordin, then to the axe in his hand. “Thordin pointed something out to me that’s probably pretty damned true. If I spend the rest of my days pounding metal, I’m better off using a weapon that’ll let me use that strength and some finesse rather than a weapon that’s mostly finesse.”
It made a vague amount of sense, but it still worried me more than a little. “But…axes?”
“What would you rather I pick up? I’m equally likely to hurt myself with any weapon you put in my hands.” Matt smiled wryly, hefting the axe. “Seems like I’ve at least got some kind of knack for this.”
“More than a small one,” Thordin piped up helpfully. He grinned at the glare I shot him. “What?” he asked, his voice full of nothing but mischief and innocence all at once.
I just kept right on glaring and he laughed. Behind Thordin, J.T. smacked his forehead and groaned.
“Mar, calm down,” Matt said. “It’ll be fine.”
Somewhere deep down, I knew it would be, but I was still damned uncomfortable with it all. I swallowed a snarl and stalked off toward the holly bushes.
“Mar?”
“Just practice,” I snapped, trying to keep the anger out of my voice. “I’ve got work to do.”
“Work?”
I glared over my shoulder. “Didn’t Phelan remind you? It’s Yule. I’ve got decorating to do.”
