A/N: I'm really grateful to all of you for sticking with me! To all those who reviewed, thank you so much :)
25.
"It seems as though Abi has received the full force of your anger." Naraku observed evenly with his hands clasped behind his back. Kagura stood before him, crimson orbs lowered civilly.
"Her behavior was unacceptable and needed to be remedied." She reported stubbornly.
Turning to face the window, Naraku's expression was cold before it disappeared from view.
"The girl herself was of little use, yet she still stood as one of us. Or have you forgotten this?" he asked.
"Tch." Kagura's nose scrunched in distaste. "You'll find a new one to replace her soon, I'm sure."
A moment later the crimson-eyed female found her chin held mercilessly in Naraku's grip, depthless obsidian reflecting her momentary shock and fear as they pierced straight through her.
"Kagura. There is only so much impudence that I can overlook." He warned, bringing her face closer to his until they were but centimeters apart. The swirling abyss of his gaze caused a shudder to run through the girl's body, and it took all of her power not to struggle against his iron grip.
"A-Apologies." She ground out at last. "I will confer with you next time before taking action."
This seemed to satiate him a bit, and he released her after regarding her for a moment longer.
"It is in your best interests to do so." He stated icily.
Kagura bit her lip and glanced towards the door with a wistful expression, longing to hear words of her dismissal from Naraku's lips. She prided herself in being a strong, powerful woman, but in the dark-haired male's hands she was nothing but a puppet to be manipulated.
"You said that a zero brought this matter to your attention?" he asked with a look of contemplation. "Was this not the zero that had been subject to Abi's antics the week before?"
"Was she?" Kagura remained disinterested. "I did not bother to notice."
Dark eyes flashed. "Is it not possible that you were manipulated, my dear Kagura?" he questioned, the pleasant smile on his face belying the shrewd glint in his eyes. "Such coincidences are rare, after all."
"Impossible." The girl answered promptly, straightening until she was at her full length. "Sesshomaru would never interact with an undeserving wretch like her. She could never be so close as to even breathe the same air."
Offended by his suggestion, Kagura indignantly made her exit with her nose in the air, leaving Naraku to stare after her with an impassive gaze.
"Impossible…" he repeated before sneering. "For that man?"
This was the man that had effortlessly trumped him in ascending to the King's throne, no matter what strings Naraku pulled or schemes he tried. Charisma, wealth, and power comparable to some of strongest youkai – the silver haired possessed all of them and had earned his crown as if it had been his natural right to claim it. Naraku hadn't been able to put so much as a dent in his path to achieve it.
Naraku's face darkened hatefully.
"Nothing is impossible for him." he spat, hand curling into a fist.