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.

of familiar?" I heard Zac say

as I went digging through his different

grocery store reward one...a rental shop...a membership to a

I found his

of looks like that

Zac continued.

one from a few

the name on the

I slowly spun around to look at Zac, my mind now racing with

is this guy’s

"Noah Kennedy."

both then turned to look at the

what was his connection to him? I’d thought that Miles was an underground businessman or some sort

who'd tried to pull a fast one

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

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 was because of me? Because of m y accidental lapse

and pulled out the cloth I’d stuffed into

the future murder victim was possibly the dumbest thing I could ever do...but I

go, please," he immediately started

do anything.Just...don’t kill

I asked, disregarding the

for a moment before becoming

"What about Miles?"

not answering my questions plainly.I’d already

level and sunk m y dagger into the

the knife back out to

me repeat myself for

managed to huff out a ‘yes’, his head

"Howe"

brother,"

my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose,

the last time

the bar on Saturday.I think he’s

like he’s just disappeared....Is that why you’re here? Does this have something to

That caught my attention.

‘Business’.

curiosity and

had already asked was already way

investigate my father’s dealings, it was just to carry out his

part of me wanted

find out whether or not his death sentence today

the question I

business was Miles involved with?" I

"Rae—."

interrupting Zac before he could stop

of an idea this was,

all, he was also under the same orders to

"Smuggling," Noah answered.

smuggler for that wealthy businessman in town.Gets in supplies and rare goods from all over.The

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

I

he looked at me as if I

of course.Who else in this city would be shady enough to need

Fuck.

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

An employee.

been a

wasn’t some random criminal or a rivaling

...I killed an employee*.

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

better than most in this city what going against him

a moment and stop tunnelling down a thought process that had no end in

As in, what the hell was I going to do about Noah? And I quickly stood back up and stepped away, my brain swimming

the jobs