A Gift from the Goddess

"Rae...I do believe this guy is alive," Zac said.

The two of us were peering into the cupboard, looking at a very tied up and very terrified looking Noah.

"Yep," I replied.

"Right...right....And, just to make sure we’re on the same page here, you are aware that normally I don’t see this part, right? That I come in afterwards?"

"I’m aware."

At the sound of the conversation, Noah immediately started to squirm and plead to Zac with his eyes, hoping that he would help free him.

Not that it would do him any good.

"So, what's the hold up?" Zac asked, still confused.

"Isn’t this just another Thursday for you? I’ve seen you do worse."

He was right.This really wasn’t that abnormal of a job for me to do.

But I gritted my teeth at his question nevertheless, hating how I had ended up in this situation.

"I...can’t," I said, deflating in defeat.

"I can’t do it."

"You can’t...do it...," Zac repeated slowly.

"And why is it—."

"Look, I just can’t, okay?" I said, cutting him off, irritated at all the questions.

"I’ve tried.I even tried again before you got over here.I can’t do it, I can’t do it, I can’t do it.End of discussion."

"...So why am I here? Just tell your dad that —."

"No."

Of course, Zac would suggest that.He didn’t know about every dark secret my father was hiding, only ever seeing as far as he needed to.

"No, I can’t tell him," I said.

"...And you can’t tell him either."

"Rae, the boss is expecting this guy dead," he said, taking a step back to look at me.

"I’m not really sure what’s going on, but you do realise he’ll find out sooner or later, right? You can’t just keep him locked up in a cupboard forever."

"Okay, fine! Fine...," I sighed in frustration, before slowly locking up to meet his eyes.

"...Then you do it."

Immediately, his face paled.

"What?! Rae, no! No," he blurted out.

"I don’t do that."

"c’mon, Zac," I whined.

"It’s not that different from cleaning up.Both have a lot of blood.I can talk you through it.Here...just grab this dagger like this...and then hold it in your hand facing—."

"Raven, stop!"

I'd been trying to get him to wield the weapon but he immediately held his hands up and stepped away.

"Just...chill," he said.

"I’m not going to kill someone."

"Argh! I spun around and angrily started pacing the room, beginning to get more worried as every second passed.I didn’t understand why this had to be so difficult.It shouldn't be this hard.Any other day, I could have done this job with my eyes closed.Why was I struggling to kill one random man? Who even was this guy? A small brown wallet then caught my attention as it sat on top of a table, and I walked over to inspect it.

sort of familiar?"

I went digging

rental shop...a membership to a laundromat? I

then, finally, I found his

looks like that

Zac continued.

one from a

the name on

from the clean-up a few days ago?" I slowly spun around to

is this guy’s

"Noah Kennedy."

to look at the man

was his connection to him? I’d thought that Miles was an underground businessman

tried to pull a fast one over

problematic documents relating to him? But...‘clean up’.That’s how this job had

up to? ...Or was I sent here because he was digging into his disappearance? ...If that were true...then didn’t that mean Noah’s death sentence today was because

pulled out the cloth I’d stuffed

the future murder victim was possibly the dumbest thing I could ever do...but I felt we were already past the point of

go, please," he immediately started

do anything.Just...don’t

related to Miles?" I

for a moment before becoming

"What about Miles?"

I really wasn’t in the mood for people not answering my questions plainly.I’d already had my

I crouched down to his eye level and sunk m y dagger into the wall directly next to his head, causing him

questions," I hissed, pulling the knife back out to point it at

myself for the last

but managed to huff out a ‘yes’,

"Howe"

m-my brother," he

the bridge of my nose, already knowing I was going to hate where

the last time

bar on Saturday.I think

him but it’s like he’s just disappeared....Is that why you’re here?

That caught my attention.

‘Business’.

that held my curiosity

questions I had already asked

dealings, it

part of

find out whether or not his death sentence

I asked the question I knew I

business was Miles involved

"Rae—."

repeated, interrupting Zac before he could stop

an idea this was, just as

also under the same orders

"Smuggling," Noah answered.

supplies and rare goods from all

have stopped.No, I *definitely* shouldn’t have wanted to keep going....But I couldn’t seem

businessman?" I

at me as if I were stupid for

else in this city would be

Fuck.

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

An employee.

had been a

or a

...I killed an employee*.

in at all? Was he trying to run away or snitch on my father?

betray aman as powerful as my father? Someone who would know better than most in this city what going against him entailed? There were too many questions already asked and far too

and stop tunnelling down a thought

now left with a very important ‘what’; As in, what the hell was I going to do about Noah? And I quickly stood back up and stepped away, my brain swimming with a million different thoughts as for

like the jobs I’d