helve

She searched his face with steady eyes, her hand on the ax-helve, in earnest effort to read his heart.

She disposed the ax to conceal it entirely beneath her long apron, her hand under the garment grasping the helve.

With the fall of the blow, and the shock of it running up the helve through arms and shoulders, they were completely awake.

He had taken but a few of these when the axe flew from the helve, narrowly missing the Professor's head.