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,

call me Raven,"

entered the bar before he could ask any further

was mostly a lot of people sitting close together having intimate

one would expect from

not the kind of place I personally liked to have a drink, but I was familiar

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

could still catch his scent as it slowly became stronger the

of every person I walked past, but

I’d done a lap of the entire floor, I was

kept walking, heading towards another small group

when I finally found

itself, but

that held a

that wasn’t going

certain all the servers and staff weren’t looking, I slipped through the door and continued to follow his scent until it led

untouched for the most

was why was he here of all places...? It was

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

but, as I rounded the corner, everything seemed to

falling into that trance

seeing him again made

inside that had been scratching

because he was

of him, within feet of being able to

like the night we first met, he wore a perfectly fitted suit, his dark brown hair

in every

inside me to not just immediately rush into his arms...though I couldn’t say the same

if to embrace me, but it was that very same

fix this exact issue, one which was causing me to feel this

as I took a step

caused a shiver to spread through me

days.Do you have any idea how worried

thinking that I was the one losing my mind, and yet this guy was almost certifiable, acting

Was I missing something?

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

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

but out of everyone I spoke to, only one person seemed to know of you.Something that they even admitted to

didn’t end up slaying at the event long enough to meet anyone

hell were you looking

this your grand scheme? Drug a girl then stalk her? Why are you even doing

anything.What you’re

I said, cutting

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

needed it.I needed it more than anything if I wanted to stay

like that.I can’t just

I yelled, and I pulled out

what you did to me.Right

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

or going back to my father empty-handed, the choice

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

take it

him lull me into another trance, choosing to act

him into

e was also just as skilled,

could get my dagger anywhere near him, suddenly he was wielding one of his own

weapon that looked

fact, upon closer inspection, it was definitely mine.He

"Calm down!" he yelled.

explain everything but you need to just chill

But I was angry.

before

used to, all jumbling around confused with

angry at him, at my own new inability

failures, at my situation… and I

of going home, knowing I would b e losing both my father’s respect and

beginning to form at my eyes as my

to hurt you," I

fix me and we can

proceeded to be

been doing this

facing someone who was anywhere near as skilled, if not more so, than I

was both impressive and

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

I thought he left open, and yet he somehow

and faster I moved,

as quickly as

that I knew

you! ?"