Wren insisted on a full day of rest before attempting anything further, and Victor spent most of it restless, unable to settle into the easy patience the situation demanded.
They convened at dusk in a tent Ashworth's team had converted into something resembling the circular assessment room back at the facility, smooth stone plating laid across the floor, a single chair positioned at the center. Wren looked steadier than she had the previous night, color returned to her face, though the careful tension in her posture hadn't fully disappeared.
"This attempt will go deeper than the last one," she said, guiding Victor into the chair. "I'll be honest about what that means. The strain on the connection will be significant. If at any point I tell you to pull back, you pull back immediately. No pushing through it to see what's on the other side."
"Understood."
"I mean it, Victor."
"I said I understood."
