the tone on this one is a lot, writing-wise it's controlled

not going to pretend the premise is light — forced situation, a priest who doesn't survive the first paragraph, a character description that's mostly a list of cruelty. going in expecting something sloppy about it. instead the writing stays controlled rather than gratuitous, it establishes the danger and moves on instead of lingering. still not a chat I'd recommend to someone looking for something easy, but if you specifically want a villain who's actually written as threatening instead of all bark, the craft is there.