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

I

shop...a membership to a laundromat?

then, finally, I found

of looks like that

Zac continued.

from a few days ago.You

I said, reading the name

days ago?" I slowly

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

"Noah Kennedy."

both then turned to look at the man tied

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

who'd tried to pull a fast one

acquired problematic documents relating to

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 in control? "Ah

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

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

please," he immediately started

do anything.Just...don’t kill

Miles?" I asked, disregarding the

face blanked for a

"What about Miles?"

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

dagger into the wall

pulling the knife

repeat myself

managed to huff out a ‘yes’, his head quickly bobbing up

"Howe"

m-my brother," he

and pinched the bridge of my nose, already knowing I was going to

the last time you

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

him but it’s like he’s just disappeared....Is that why you’re here? Does this have something to do with

That caught my attention.

‘Business’.

held my curiosity and yet I

the questions I had already asked was already way too

dealings, it was just to carry

a part of me wanted to

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

asked the question

business was Miles involved

"Rae—."

I repeated, interrupting Zac before he could stop

an idea this was,

also under the same orders to

"Smuggling," Noah answered.

in town.Gets in supplies and rare goods from all over.The best at what he

there.I knew I should have stopped.No, I *definitely*

businessman?" I asked

at me as if

else in this city would be shady enough

Fuck.

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

An employee.

been a goddamn

random criminal or a rivaling businessman.He was on the

...I killed an employee*.

away or snitch on my father? ...Did

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

pause for a moment and stop tunnelling down a thought process that

to do about Noah? And I quickly stood back up

the jobs I’d had