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 ignored him as I went digging through his

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

finally, I found

sort of looks like that

Zac continued.

a few

I said, reading the name on

I slowly spun around to look at Zac, my mind now

this guy’s last name,"

"Noah Kennedy."

simultaneously, we both then turned to look at the man

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

pull a fast

would he have acquired problematic documents relating to him?

I sent here because he was digging into his disappearance? ...If that were

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

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

me go, please," he

do anything.Just...don’t kill

Miles?" I asked,

blanked for a

"What about Miles?"

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

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

asking the questions," I hissed, pulling the knife back

me repeat myself for the last

out a ‘yes’, his head quickly

"Howe"

m-my brother,"

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

when was the last

never showed up at the bar on Saturday.I think

know where he is, I swear! I’ve been looking for him but it’s like he’s just disappeared....Is that

That caught my attention.

‘Business’.

something that held my curiosity and yet I knew I

had already asked

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

part of me wanted

his death sentence today

the question I

business was Miles involved with?" I

"Rae—."

Zac before he could stop

bad of an idea this was,

was also under the same orders to not pry

"Smuggling," Noah answered.

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

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

businessman?" I asked

looked at me as if I

of course.Who else in this city would be shady enough to need a

Fuck.

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

An employee.

been

or a rivaling businessman.He was on

...I killed an employee*.

trying to run away or snitch on my

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 what

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

do about Noah? And I quickly stood back up and stepped away, my brain swimming with a million different

like the jobs I’d had