[h2]Alexander[/h2]

"Boy do I know how that goes," Alexander replied, thoughts going to the dagger upstairs. "'Don't do that in public,' 'people will see,' 'what, do you think you'll be attacked on the street?' 'Don't bring that to the dinner table!' It gets old after a while."

He spoke in mockery of the various things some adults had told him, and he was sure had told Astrid. It was all rather silly, really.

If he let Hannah or Sumi answer first he'd never get a word in edgewise, Alex thought, so he took the initiative. "Woodcarving, mostly. Go find small logs outside and see what I can carve them into. Can't say I'm good at it, but it helps keep the knife sharp, if nothing else."

Speaking of knives, he thought, his food would get cold if he didn't get back to it. So, as he left the floor open for the girls, he turned his attention back to what was on his plate.