Trails of Intertwined Stars: Chapter 74 {Part 1}

~Chapter 128: Good for Nothing~

Henry glared at Jiu, pressing the gun stronger against his head," You know, everything got ruined when you showed up that fateful day. How I wish I told Lady Gwendolyn to get rid of you...how much smoother it could have all been...I hate you Jiu, you know that?"
Jiu glanced at the gun for a second, before his gaze flickered back to Henry, his teeth gritted.
"I loath you, Henry."
Henry leaned in closer, his expression dark and grim," Aw, I'm glad to see we're on the same page...I would have hated to upset you."
Henry stared at him.
"I'm kidding, of course. Seeing you upset has been the best thing today."
Henry glanced back at Leora, who wasn't even bothering to writhe on the table any longer. She was exhausted. Small whimpers of pain left her lips, as blood pooled and dripped down the altar. Jiu felt tears well in his eyes at the sight, but pushed it down, not wanting to give Henry the satisfaction. Henry clearly hadn't noticed, staring distantly at his sister; neither human nor inhuman.
"You know I first thought nothing of you," Henry muttered, his gaze permanently locked onto Leora's body," You were just some unruly peasant in my eyes...a little plaything for my sister. But then, I saw you shape her, making me loose control. Yes, that was when I started to hate you. For ruining my work. How I wished I sent you away as soon as I saw your horrible face. But what annoyed me the most was-"

"I'm worried about Leora, Henry. Something is dreadfully wrong. Her, and I, both... we've been seeing the ghost of Duncan Mohan. He wants revenge, Henry, and I have half a mind to believe he wants revenge on Leora."
I stared at you, speechless that day. You weren't supposed to see him; after all, you had no correlation to the manor. You had nothing. Merely a little study for my sister's pleasure, and a breeder of misfortune on my part. When I knew that you were aware of Duncan, something broke in me. I remember bursting into laughter, as some desperate attempt to stray you clear from the path.
"You read too many ghost stories, Jiu!"
"I'm deadly serious, Henry," I remember you said, it rather infuriated me.

It was then, I realised that you were, in fact, extremely serious. That annoyed me further.
"That's absurd. Ghosts are not real. Duncan is dead, that is all there is to it. He died long ago, in a tragic accident. I have half a mind to be furious with you, Jiu. Bringing up the death of my cousin when it is my wedding."
"You have surely seen how distant Leora has been!?" You stood up, with that tone that made me want so desperately to put you in your place.
"I have seen," I muttered, bloody murder on my mind," Those 'distant' attitudes are her becoming a Victorian woman. In fact, I hope she gets more distant. I knew Lord Bramston was a perfect pick for her."
"Then explain why both me and Leora have seen Duncan's ghost!?" You yelled, how I wished you'd shut up," Explain. I implore you, Henry!"
A rush of cold rage took over me in that moment, as I felt completely powerless that day. Like everything I knew, every grasp I had; was unravelling desperately at the seams. I could hear Duncan laughing manically at me...how sick it made me feel.
"YOU ARE BOTH AS MAD AS EACH OTHER!" I roared," Perhaps I shall send you both to London Asylum for your sheer absurd claims! You are both as unwell as each other, and if you wish to stay in this manor, it would do you good to keep your insanity to yourself!"

"I saw that good-for-nothing repulsed expression on your face, and how every inch of my body responded to it. Throbbing with rage and something else I could not quite place. I saw my mother in your eyes. My father in your eyebrows. And my sister, my sister...I saw her all over your features. Enough to make a man scream and howl in agony, and desperately claw at his senses and to gouge them out like an animal. Like an animal who had lost its senses, and had come to terms with that shameful, wild side. That was not afraid to bear its fangs, or use its talons. Go away. I begged you desperately in my mind. Go away, Jiu. Go away and never come back. But, you did not...and I so desperately wanted to leave that estate, and Duncan's attempt to taunt my misery. I was a victim."