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?"

ignored him as I went digging through his different

had a grocery store reward one...a rental shop...a membership to a laundromat?

I

sort of looks like that

Zac continued.

a few days

reading the name on the

few days ago?" I slowly

this guy’s last name,"

"Noah Kennedy."

look at the man tied

that Miles was an underground businessman

a

to him? But...‘clean up’.That’s how

whatever Miles had been 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

Noah and pulled out the cloth I’d

would have agreed that talking to the future murder victim was possibly the dumbest thing

go, please,"

do anything.Just...don’t

Miles?" I

a moment before becoming

"What about Miles?"

not answering my questions plainly.I’d

y dagger into the

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

me repeat myself

managed to huff out a ‘yes’, his head quickly bobbing

"Howe"

brother,"

bridge of my nose, already knowing

last time you

the bar on

I’ve been looking for him but it’s like he’s just disappeared....Is that why you’re here? Does this have something to do with him?

That caught my attention.

‘Business’.

was something that held my curiosity and yet I

questions I had already

dealings,

of me wanted to

not his death sentence today was actually

the question I knew

Miles

"Rae—."

interrupting Zac before he could stop

would know how bad of an idea this was, just as I

the same orders to

"Smuggling," Noah answered.

in supplies and rare goods from all over.The best

stopped.No, I *definitely* shouldn’t

businessman?" I

at me as if I were stupid for

in this city would be shady enough to

Fuck.

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

An employee.

been

random criminal or a rivaling businessman.He was

...I killed an employee*.

to bring him in at all? Was he trying to run away or snitch on my father? ...Did he

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 many

moment and stop tunnelling down a thought process that had

do about Noah? And I quickly stood back up and stepped away, my brain swimming with a million different thoughts as for what I

like the