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.

this guy look sort of

I ignored him as I

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

then, finally, I found

of looks like that

Zac continued.

a few days

reading the name on the

days ago?" I slowly spun around to look at Zac, my mind now racing

Zac...Kennedy is this guy’s

"Noah Kennedy."

to look at the

him? I’d thought that Miles was an underground

pull a fast one

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

...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

pulled out the

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

go, please," he immediately

do anything.Just...don’t kill

I asked, disregarding

for a moment before

"What about Miles?"

wasn’t in the mood for people not answering my questions plainly.I’d already had my fill of that

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

the knife back out to point it at

repeat myself

huff out a ‘yes’, his head quickly

"Howe"

brother," he

nose, already knowing I was going to hate where this

last time you heard from

on Saturday.I think he’s missing,"

him but it’s like he’s just disappeared....Is that why you’re here?

That caught my attention.

‘Business’.

that held my curiosity and yet I

already asked was

investigate my father’s dealings,

of me wanted to

whether or not his death sentence

the question I knew I

was Miles involved with?" I

"Rae—."

I repeated, interrupting Zac

how bad of an idea this was, just

he was also under the same orders to not

"Smuggling," Noah answered.

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

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

businessman?" I asked

me as if I were stupid for not

this city would be shady enough to need a

Fuck.

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

An employee.

had been a

random criminal or a rivaling businessman.He

...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 he find out something he shouldn’t have?

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 questions already asked and far too many answers left unknown

to pause for a moment and stop tunnelling down a

about Noah? And I quickly stood back up and stepped

wasn’t like the jobs I’d had