"Your instruction of Rhys was effective," Ren noted quietly, his voice cutting through the sound of shattering demonic ice. "He understands how to apply pressure without overextending. But remember. A strong foundation means nothing if the structure above it isn't built to withstand a storm."
Pho wiped a spray of black, frozen blood from his cheek, looking at Ren with a hardened, veteran glare.
"The structure is the foundation, Ren. You teach a man to endure absolute hell, and no political trick, no high-born elven spell, and no demon can ever break his spirit. Jack gave him the path, but I made sure he had the nerve to walk it."
"Then let's see if your nerve holds up in the lower floors," Ren replied calmly, looking toward the descending stairwell at the far end of the hall. "Because down there, they aren't just roaming. They're farming."
They pushed deeper into the second and third subterranean tiers.
