Finnian's pupils narrowed into slits, resembling those of a serpent, and with a chilling calmness, he extracted the pair of scissors from the guard's chest, showing no sign of remorse regarding what he had done.
He rose from the floor and turned to face Esme, his grip on the scissors tightening. His cold, unfeeling eyes locked onto hers, as if she were a stranger, someone he failed to recognize.
Esme stood paralyzed, a whirlwind of emotion crashing over her – confusion, horror and disbelief. It was clear that he intended to attack her next, and she knew there would be no escape if he succeeded in getting his hands on her. Even then, she could not bring herself to run away from him.