She smiled and nodded, pleased as always with his easy show of strength. It was something to be admired, something that would have seen him well-placed and respected among the gesiths back home. It was a shame to her that he did not live in her world.

Hild moved behind him, using careful fingers to trace the lines of muscle and bone, find the spot where his shoulder should be and was not. "Ready," she said quietly, only to give him warning. She did not wait for his response but, with only a wrinkle of her nose to show the effort, popped the joint back into place.