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."

rose inside me as I won the small victory, and I instantly started walking

can call me Raven,"

before he

a lot of people sitting close together having intimate conversations in

atmosphere one would expect from a

kind of place I personally liked to have a

I wasn’t here today for that.I was here to find

scent as it slowly became stronger the further inside I

it carefully, screening the faces of every person I walked past, but none were of the man I met

by the time I’d done a lap of the entire floor, I was beginning to

I kept

I finally

room itself, but

a sign saying

wasn’t going to

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

pretty untouched for the most part, clearly

question I had though was why was he here of all places...? It was almost as if he knew I

to know I could trace

but, as I rounded the corner, everything seemed to just...slip

falling into that trance as [ met his expectant hazel

explain, but seeing him again made

inside that had been scratching

because he was

was in front of him, within feet of being able

first met, he wore a perfectly

in every possible

so.It took everything I had inside me to not just immediately rush into his arms...though I couldn’t say the same

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

exact issue, one which was causing me

himself as I took a step

he said, sounding almost relieved, and it caused a shiver to spread through me at

for days.Do you have any idea

one losing my mind, and yet this guy was almost certifiable, acting a s though we were close

Was I missing something?

managed to say, so extremely confused by

before I explained a few things to you, but it’s almost as if you don’t exist,"

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

would have to be him since I didn’t end up slaying at the event long enough to meet

the hell were you looking for me?"

grand scheme? Drug a girl then

didn’t do anything.What you’re experiencing is

I said, cutting

being able to function...or work...or do anything.I tracked you down for the sole purpose of

anything if I wanted to stay in

like that.I can’t just undo it.It has to

and I pulled out my

you did to

hoping this would be a civil conversation but he was proving to be stubborn,

drawing blood or going back to my

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

take it easy

lull me into another trance,

knifepoint; just enough to scare him into taking me seriously.I was quick and had training, so it should have been

just as skilled, proving that back when we’d met the

my dagger anywhere near him, suddenly he was wielding one of his own as he deflected

weapon that looked awfully

upon closer inspection, it was definitely mine.He must have kept it

"Calm down!" he yelled.

can explain everything but you need to

But I was angry.

I’d ever felt before

inside that I wasn’t used to, all

angry at him, at my own new

my situation… and I was

b e losing both my father’s respect and my

again, angry tears beginning to form at my

have to hurt you,"

fix me and we can go our

again and proceeded to be on the defensive

he'd been doing this sort of thing

first time facing someone who was

impressive and concerning

not be as

thought he left open, and yet he somehow managed to defend perfectly

I moved, but nothing seemed to

was moving as quickly as I was at

that I knew wasn’t

you! ?" I yelled in