*
Jezebel's fury was like a tiger clawing its way out of her as recognition hit her like a rock. Blood welled up in her mouth as she bit her lip in rage, and she felt a terrible, murderous maelstrom of emotion roil up within her.
The servant girl she was after was standing there dumbly after having just rushed through the opposite door. That little hussy, that slut, that horrible, awful good-for-nothing...Jezebel glared as the girl's eyes met hers and widened in fear.
She had dyed her hair brown, but it was unmistakably the same girl that was ingrained in Jezebel's memory. It made her shake with anger that even with the auburn hair she was still gorgeous.
One of the hounds behind her growled menacingly and nipped at the back of her dress.
She clamped down on her emotions. She didn't want her feelings to overflow into the hounds and have them go berserk. While she wouldn't mind seeing the girl torn to pieces, she wasn’t quite ready to unleash them just yet. She would never admit it even to herself, but she was still frightened of the hounds, and unsure of her ability to really control them in this state. She very carefully took a deep breath and resolved to hold out until such time as she could properly show the slut her place.
Her resolve was tested at the King's next words. “I have been searching for you, my dear.” The girl looked around stupidly as if he must be talking to someone else, and Jezebel sneered. “It was fate that you and I were to meet, you know.”
“What are you talking about? Where is Gryffon?” the girl blurted, finally finding her voice.
“The man is of no consequence; he is not one of us and so was not permitted to enter. But you, you are one of us. You bear the mark, do you not?” he asked in a knowing tone.
The girl didn't answer, but her hand flew to her neck in an unconscious motion, and the King smiled at her silent acknowledgment. Jezebel's ears perked up at the mention, and she leaned forward eagerly to hear the explanation, her anger dulled slightly with curiosity.
“I knew you did. I can feel it. You've been strangely vague to me, but I now see the interference is the charm you're wearing around your neck.”
He raised a hand and the offending charm floated up off her chest and into the air. It jerked forward as if pulled, snapping the clasp off. It moved forward a couple feet and then the King flung his fingers out in a quick motion. The charm exploded.
Jezebel's eyes widened as it shattered into a million pieces and suddenly she could feel the power emanating off the girl. Jealousy mixed with hatred as she realized just how strong this little hussy was.
One of the hounds bayed ominously behind her. She ground her teeth together, and her hands curled into balls. How dare someone I hate so much be so much stronger than I am! No, no she can't be, Jezebel told herself, it must be some sort of trick, there is no way that this stupid little peasant can be better than me. What is going on here? Why is the King acting as though this is the girl he's been looking for? What does the mark have to do with anything? The little whore can't possibly have been consorting with the King as well as Gryffon could she?
Confusion and frustration mixed with her anger, and Jezebel felt her control slipping. Now would be the perfect time to strike, her inner voice said, whilst the King is so intent upon this little slut. She'd take care of them both right here, right now. Then she could go back and claim her rightful place as ruler of the kingdom, announcing that the King's unfitness for the throne had prompted him to attack her when she confronted him with it, but her superior talent had overtaken him, and she had reluctantly been forced to kill him in his murderous guilty rage.
“What is your name?” the King was asking the girl, who answered in a halting and trembling voice as though the word was being pried from her throat.
“Layna.”
Hearing the whore’s name spoken was too much for her. Jezebel didn't care what the King's plans were anymore. She didn't need to hear anymore from either of them. She was going to kill this little slut for messing up her plans so many times.
She was going to kill them all.
Red haze swam before her eyes and she watched the proceedings with growing hatred, all sanity lost from her.