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."

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

can call me Raven,"

the bar before he could ask any

lot of

sort of atmosphere one would expect

to have a drink, but I was familiar

today for that.I was

could still catch his scent as it slowly became stronger the

screening the faces of every person I walked past, but none were

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

hell was he? I kept walking,

I

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

door that held a sign

that wasn’t going to

looking, I slipped through the door and continued to follow his scent until it led

untouched for the most part, clearly not

all places...? It was almost as if he knew I was tracking

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

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

found myself falling into that trance as [ met

hard to explain, but seeing him again made

something inside that had been scratching away

because he

in front of him, within feet of being able to touch

first met, he wore a perfectly fitted

every possible

not just immediately rush into his arms...though

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

this exact issue, one which was causing me to feel

as I took a step

shiver to spread through me at the

you for days.Do you have any

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

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

about you, trying to find out how I could contact you, but out of everyone I spoke to, only one person seemed to know of you.Something that they even admitted to not knowing

since I didn’t end up slaying

the hell were you looking for me?" I

girl then stalk her? Why are you even doing

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

said, cutting him

meet someone and instantly become infatuated.It doesn’t stop them from being able to function...or work...or do anything.I tracked you down for the sole purpose of making you reverse this.I want my life

if I wanted

like that.I can’t

I

did to me.Right

conversation but he was proving

or going back to my father empty-handed, the

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

take it easy fora

him lull me into another trance, choosing to act

him into taking me seriously.I was quick and had training, so it should

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

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

weapon that looked awfully

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

"Calm down!" he yelled.

need to just chill for a

But I was angry.

before in m y

wasn’t used to, all jumbling around

angry at him, at my own new inability

failures, at my situation…

knowing I would b e losing both my father’s respect and my usefulness t

I swiped my dagger again, angry tears beginning to form

don’t have to

we can go our separate

and proceeded to be on the defensive

fluidly as if he'd been doing this sort of thing his entire

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

was both impressive and concerning at

might not be as easy

areas that I thought he left open, and yet

faster I moved,

moving as quickly as I

that I

are you! ?" I