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.

look sort of familiar?" I

as I went digging through his

store reward one...a rental shop...a membership to a laundromat? I didn’t even know

finally, I found

sort of looks like that

Zac continued.

from a few days ago.You

said, reading the

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

is this guy’s last name," I

"Noah Kennedy."

turned to look at the

thought that Miles was an underground

to pull a fast one

acquired problematic documents relating to

Noah involved in 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 was because of me? Because of m y accidental

Noah and pulled out the

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

me go, please,"

anything.Just...don’t

Miles?" I asked,

face blanked for a moment

"What about Miles?"

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

sunk m y dagger into the wall directly next to his head, causing him to jump

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

me repeat myself

managed to huff out a ‘yes’,

"Howe"

m-my brother,"

bridge of my nose,

was the last time

the bar on Saturday.I

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

That caught my attention.

‘Business’.

was something that held my curiosity and yet I knew I shouldn’t

the questions I had already asked was already way too

wasn't to investigate my father’s dealings,

part of me

find out whether or not his death sentence today was actually because of

question I knew I shouldn’t

Miles involved with?" I

"Rae—."

repeated, interrupting Zac

bad of an idea

he was also under the same orders to not

"Smuggling," Noah answered.

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

stopped.No, I *definitely*

I

looked at me as if I

city would be shady

Fuck.

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

An employee.

been

or a rivaling

...I killed an employee*.

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

better than most in this city what going against him entailed? There were too

and stop tunnelling down

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

wasn’t like the jobs I’d