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 ignored him as I went digging through

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

then, finally, I

of looks

Zac continued.

a few days ago.You

reading the name on the

slowly spun around to look at Zac, my

guy’s

"Noah Kennedy."

we both then turned to look at the man tied up

to him? I’d thought that Miles was an

tried to pull a

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

that were true...then didn’t that mean Noah’s death sentence

pulled out the cloth I’d stuffed into his

would have agreed that talking to the future murder victim was possibly the dumbest thing I could ever do...but I felt we were already

let me go, please," he immediately

anything.Just...don’t

to Miles?" I asked, disregarding

blanked for a moment

"What about Miles?"

for people not answering my questions plainly.I’d already had

into the wall directly next to his head, causing him

the knife back out to

myself for

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

"Howe"

m-my brother," he

my nose, already knowing I

when was the last time you heard

at the bar on Saturday.I think he’s missing," he hurriedly

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 knew I shouldn’t

questions I had already asked was already way

to investigate my father’s dealings, it was

of me

whether or not his death sentence today was actually because of

question I knew I shouldn’t

was Miles

"Rae—."

repeated, interrupting Zac before he could stop

bad of an idea this was, just as

the same orders to not pry

"Smuggling," Noah answered.

in supplies and rare goods from all over.The best at

have stopped there.I knew I should have stopped.No, I *definitely* shouldn’t have

businessman?" I

at me as if I

of course.Who else in this city would

Fuck.

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

An employee.

been a

some random criminal or a rivaling businessman.He

...I killed an employee*.

in at all? Was he trying to run away or snitch on my father? ...Did he find out something he shouldn’t have? And those documents allegedly pertaining

father? Someone who would know better than most in this city what

pause for a moment and stop tunnelling down

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

like the jobs I’d had