handed

witness him accomplishing feats no hrinn should be able to even attempt, much less survive. The only one who seemed unaffected by the implications was Kei.
In the ordinary way of things, those who could absorb enough old power to attain blueshift speed could sustain it only for brief bursts, the length of a fight, perhaps, or a hunt, at most part of a day; but the Black/on/Black had gone on in that manner for nearly two days without drawing power first, or replenishing it after. He was more than other hrinn, as the legends had promised, however little he appeared to understand such things himself.
Kei emerged from the cave and handed Nisk a huge curving longbow. He fingered the smooth length of polished wood, noting the careful work down to the protective glyphs carved into the grip, then drew the string and sighted along his arm at the dark outline of a tree. The balance was true. “A fine weapon.”
“It belonged to Seill, one of those who renounced his males’ house and came back to us after Levv was destroyed.” Kei sank to his haunches on the grass and stared out into the night sky. His black eyes reflected the starlight. “We were only a few frightened cublings in the days after. We didn’t know where to go, what to do. Without them, we would have died.”
Nisk had