"Holts this, Holts that," I muttered, stepping forward with slow, deliberate steps. My voice carried across the clearing. "I've been hearing you lot yap about the Holts since I got here."
They flinched, all of them.
"But you see," I continued, "by now you should've figured something out—"
I vanished mid-sentence and reappeared right in front of the man who'd spoken.
"—I don't give a fuck."
Time slowed in my mind. I watched the moment his brain registered my disappearance. His eyes widened, pupils shrinking, fear flashing in his face. My fingers had already wrapped around his throat.
His hand twitched toward his sword.
I didn't give him the chance. My grip tightened, Essence reinforcing the pressure. I felt bones crack under my fingers as his neck snapped clean. His body dropped limp to the ground, the sound muffled by the dirt and ash.
I turned to face the rest.
"Alright," I said calmly. "Let's finish this quickly."
