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 went digging through

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

finally, I found

of looks like that

Zac continued.

one from a

reading the

a few days ago?" I slowly

this guy’s last name," I

"Noah Kennedy."

turned to look at the man tied up in the

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

tried to pull a fast one

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

...If that were true...then didn’t that mean Noah’s death sentence today was because of me?

out the cloth I’d

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

go, please," he immediately started

do anything.Just...don’t

Miles?" I asked, disregarding the

a moment before becoming

"What about Miles?"

my questions plainly.I’d already had my fill of that from

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

pulling the knife back out to point it

repeat myself for

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

"Howe"

m-my brother," he

my nose, already knowing

when was the last time you heard from

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

looking for 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

questions I had already asked was already way too

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

of me wanted to

death sentence today

I asked the question

Miles involved

"Rae—."

interrupting Zac before he could

of an idea this was,

the same orders to not

"Smuggling," Noah answered.

goods from all over.The best at what

*definitely*

businessman?" I

at me as if I

Reid, of course.Who else in this city would be

Fuck.

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

An employee.

had been

criminal or a rivaling businessman.He was on the

...I killed an employee*.

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

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

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

regardless of the why, I was now left with a very important ‘what’; As in, what the hell was I going to do about Noah? And I quickly stood back up

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