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.

guy look sort of familiar?" I heard

I

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

then, finally, I

of looks

Zac continued.

a

I said, reading the

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

Zac...Kennedy is this guy’s last name," I

"Noah Kennedy."

both then turned to look at the man

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

who'd tried to pull a fast

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

he was digging into his disappearance? ...If that were true...then didn’t that mean Noah’s

walked over to Noah and pulled out the cloth I’d stuffed into

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

me go, please," he immediately started

do anything.Just...don’t

related to Miles?" I asked,

face blanked for a

"What about Miles?"

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

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

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

myself for the last

out a ‘yes’, his head quickly bobbing

"Howe"

brother,"

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

last time you

at the bar on Saturday.I think he’s

he’s just disappeared....Is that why you’re here? Does

That caught my attention.

‘Business’.

my curiosity and yet I knew I

already asked was already way

father’s dealings, it was just to carry

a part of

his death

the question I

Miles involved with?" I

"Rae—."

interrupting Zac before

of an idea

was also under the same orders to not pry too

"Smuggling," Noah answered.

businessman in town.Gets in supplies and rare goods from all over.The best at what he does, in my opinion.Even better

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

businessman?" I

as if I were stupid for

of course.Who else in this city would be shady

Fuck.

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

An employee.

had been a goddamn

wasn’t some random criminal or a rivaling

...I killed an employee*.

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

would know better than most in this city what

and stop tunnelling down a thought

to do about Noah? And I quickly stood back up and stepped away, my brain

like the