A Gift from the Goddess

The plan was simple; Track down Kieran and demand he fix whatever he did to me.

With Noah tied up and locked inside a cupboard, I would head towards the hotel which had been listed i n Victor Lycroft’s information folder.

With any luck, his son had the same taste in accommodation.

Once I found him and got my answers, I’d then just have him undo the effects before going back to Noah t o finish the job.I'd complete my mission tonight and get back home without any issues.

As a result, Father would begin to trust me again and Gavin wouldn’t need to drag me back into the basement.

Everyone will be happy.

Well...except probably Noah.He’d be dead.

But that was unfortunately just the way it had to be.

‘C'est la vie’ some would say.Now to just pray that nothing went wrong.I hailed a taxi and gave the driver directions to the hotel, doing my best to make my clothes seem more casual on the way over.

There wasn’t much I could do but I worked with what I had.

By the time I arrived, there was nothing on me that would stand out too much in a public setting.

Upon stepping out of the car though, I found the hotel was surprisingly large.

The kind of place only the very wealthy could afford which, given he was the son of a literal mayor, I guess that made sense.

Though for a small town I’d never heard of before, they sure seemed to have the cash to spare.

Whilst this was an interesting thing to note, it unfortunately meant that sneaking in was going to be difficult.

The place would have security cameras and staff walking around everywhere.

So how was I meant to...And then I smelt it.

That intoxicating scent that I could recall so vividly now.

The one belonging to Kieran.

He was here or, at least, he’d been here sometime recently.I would just need to follow it and hopefully scope out the area before entering his room.

But the scent didn’t lead me towards the elevator as I expected.

No, it led me to the hotel’s bar area.

A place where far too many people would be around to witness.

Certainly not an ideal development in this plan.

"Apologies, madam," a man at the entrance said, holding a hand out to pause me.

"I just need to quickly confirm your name and room number, or the room number of the person you're here to see." I stared at him blankly, confused.

This hotel was apparently far more exclusive than I’d realised.

However, I’d had to deal with far worse obstacles than this before.

"Oh! Is that so?" I asked innocently.

"That’s a little awkward...You see, I was sent here to surprise Mr Lycroft but no one told me his room number.I guess i t was just a mix-up.Isn’t there any way I could still g o inside? Just this once?"

He looked uncertain and taken a little off guard.

This wasn’t the kind of job where you’d want to accidentally insult the wrong influential person.

"Oh ...Well I suppose I could quickly go in and find him to confirm.Mr Lycroft you said?"

He took a step away as if to enter, but I knew if he did that and Kieran told them to not let me in, then this whole plan would become messy.

"That won’t do," I said a little too quickly.

I then walked over to gently touch his arm.

"As mentioned, it’s meant to be a surprise.We haven’t seen each other in the longest time and his father, Victor, told m e Kieran was in town."

"Madam...we have precautions in place to ensure the safety and privacy of our gu—."

"The whole family will be so disappointed if it’s ruined.We’ve been planning this for a while now.I know Victor likes to come here regularly when he’s here for business.It would be a shame if this one unpleasant experience tarnished that...Especially if I have to call the family so late for something so petty "

Immediately, he became flustered, but I didn’t give him any more time to process the situation.

After all, bad decisions were always made under pressure.

"Please...," I repeated, giving him my best smile.

And it only took a few more seconds before, finally, h e cracked.

"Okay...very well.I’ll just need your name for the record and you can head on inside."

giddiness rose inside me as I won the small victory,

call me

I entered the bar before he could ask any

was mostly a lot of people sitting close together

of atmosphere one would expect from

liked to have a drink, but I was

wasn’t here today for that.I was here

now, I could still catch his scent as it

of every person I walked

entire floor, I was beginning to worry I’d

kept walking, heading towards

when I

not within the room itself, but veering off through a door

that held a sign saying ‘Staff

obviously that wasn’t

the servers and staff weren’t looking, I slipped through the door and continued to follow

for the most part, clearly

all places...? It was

he would have to know I could trace his scent, which was already unnatural in

were swimming in my head but, as I rounded the corner, everything seemed

again I found myself falling into that trance as [ met

hard to explain, but seeing him again made

been scratching

because he was

front of him, within feet of being able to

met, he wore a

every possible

to not just immediately rush into his

soon as he caught my eye, he instantly moved forward as if to embrace me, but it was that very same movement that made me remember

was to fix this exact issue, one which was

himself as I took a step

sounding almost relieved, and it caused a shiver to spread through me at the sound

for you for days.Do you have any idea how

I was the one losing my mind, and yet this guy was

Was I missing something?

was all I managed to say, so extremely confused by this turn of

you some time to cool down before I explained a few things to you, but it’s

several different people about you, trying to find out how I could contact you, but out of everyone I spoke to, only one

I didn’t end up slaying at

you looking for me?"

then stalk her?

you’re experiencing is

said, cutting him

function...or work...or do anything.I tracked you down for the sole purpose of making you reverse this.I

anything if I wanted to stay

like that.I can’t just undo

I pulled out

did

a civil conversation but he was proving to be stubborn, giving me excuses rather

going back to my father empty-handed,

"Woah...slow down," he said.

it

didn’t let him lull me into another

intent of holding him up at knifepoint; just enough to scare him into taking me seriously.I was

h e was also just as skilled, proving that back when we’d

was wielding one of his

that looked

it was definitely mine.He

"Calm down!" he yelled.

explain everything but you need

But I was angry.

felt before in m y entire

I wasn’t used to, all jumbling

him, at my own new inability to

failures, at my

e losing

again, angry tears beginning to form at my

to hurt you,"

me and we can

to be on the defensive

been doing

me, it was the first time facing someone who was

impressive and

meant that this might not be as easy as I’d

on attacking, aiming for areas that I thought he left open, and yet he somehow managed to

I moved,

he was moving as quickly as

that I knew wasn’t

you! ?" I yelled in