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 behind

I ignored him as I went digging through his different

rental shop...a membership to a laundromat? I didn’t even know those

finally, I

sort of looks like

Zac continued.

from a few days

the name on

ago?" I slowly spun around to

Zac...Kennedy is this guy’s last

"Noah Kennedy."

to look at the man tied up in the

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

a fast one over my

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

sent here because he was digging into his disappearance? ...If that

over to Noah and pulled out the

victim was possibly the dumbest thing I could ever do...but I felt we were already

go, please,"

anything.Just...don’t kill

to Miles?" I asked,

for a moment before

"What about Miles?"

in the mood for people not answering my questions plainly.I’d already

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

the knife back out

repeat myself for

fear but managed to huff out

"Howe"

m-my brother," he

my nose, already knowing I

the last

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

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

That caught my attention.

‘Business’.

held my curiosity and yet I knew I

I had already asked

wasn't to investigate my father’s dealings, it was

of me wanted to

not his death

question I knew I shouldn’t

business was Miles involved

"Rae—."

I repeated, interrupting Zac before he could

of an idea this was, just as

all, he was also under the

"Smuggling," Noah answered.

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

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

I

me as if I were stupid for not

this city would be shady enough

Fuck.

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

An employee.

been a goddamn

or a rivaling businessman.He

...I killed an employee*.

to run away or snitch on my father? ...Did he find out something he shouldn’t have? And those

was in them? If they were harmful, then what could make someone want to 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

for a moment and stop tunnelling down

hell was I going to do about Noah?

wasn’t like the jobs I’d had