Page 102 of Pixie Problems

"Someone's watched too much TV," Keir joked.

Hawke just shrugged - but didn't deny it. That meant it was probably true.

"So," he said instead, "since Jack is still napping on the training dummy, I thought I'd see if you two need some help."

"Pretty sure I got this," Keir assured him.

Hawke lifted a rusty-colored brow. "How are you supposed to learn to be her support if you're always sparring against her?" Brazenly, he walked over to the wall and grabbed a pair of brass hammers - the combat kind. "Bet I can hold both of you off."

"Doubtful," Keir shot back.

Hawke's smile turned sly. "Rain's going to be too worried about hitting you with iron."

"Steel," I corrected.

"Don't care," Hawke said. "It's still iron."

And then he rushed in. I yelped and pushed my swords up, into the proper guard position, but Keir was unarmed. Hawke didn't seem to care. The guy lashed out - and hard! When one of those hammers connected with myeltamblade, I felt the impact all the way up my arm.

But Keir wasn't standing helplessly. He spun, grabbing some kind of axe-spear thing off the wall, and moved to my left. That put him on Hawke's right, which was his stronger side. Unfortunately, Hawke was correct. When Keir lunged to strike, I backed up, making sure he had room. Hawke immediately took advantage of it.

The guy spun, shifting well out of Keir's range. Another step put me between them. I tried to turn, only to find Hawke's hammer right in front ofmy forehead.

"Bonk," he said with a shit-eating grin. "I win."

I just groaned, letting my weapons sag. "I'm so bad at this."

"You're new to it," Keir countered.

"Nice use of the truth," Hawke praised. "But she does suck. Rain knows how to follow your lead, Keir. The part you forgot is that the Morrigan leads. You get to be her bitch - not the other way around."

"I'm trying to get her caught up," Keir countered.

Hawke shrugged. "And now you have me." His eyes shifted to mine. "Keir knows what he's doing. Don't worry about him. Just come at me like I'm the Huntsman himself."

"And if I cut you?" I asked, turning my steel sword to prove what I meant.

Hawke held up his arm, a little friendship bracelet dangling on his wrist. "Had someone make me a nice-nice. It will deflect one impact from anything. Even iron."

"Aspen?" I asked, almost hoping it had been her.

"No," Hawke admitted, but both he and Keir had heard something that made them look at me. "Why?" he went on.

I tried to wave it off. "Nothing. I'm just worried about her."

"Why?" Keir pressed this time.

"Nope, I'm not playing bash-'em-up until you spill, Rain," Hawke informed me.

I grunted in annoyance, but I understood. These two were trying to help. The problem was I didn't know how to say it.

"She hasn't been in her room for days," I tried, hoping to leave it at that.

"She's crashing with Tor," Hawke said.

"And he'd know," Keir added. "He's been using the other suite."

Which made me look over quickly. "What? So she's sharing a bed with him?"