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.

guy look sort of familiar?" I heard Zac

I ignored him as I went

reward one...a rental shop...a membership to

I found

of looks

Zac continued.

a few days ago.You

the name on the

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

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

"Noah Kennedy."

simultaneously, we both then turned to look at the man tied

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

a fast one over

relating to him? But...‘clean up’.That’s how

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

to Noah and pulled out the cloth

victim was possibly the dumbest thing

please," he immediately started

anything.Just...don’t

I asked, disregarding the

a moment before

"What about Miles?"

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

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

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

repeat myself for

managed to huff out

"Howe"

brother,"

bridge of my nose, already

last time you heard from

never showed up at the bar on Saturday.I think he’s missing," he hurriedly

for him but it’s like he’s just disappeared....Is that

That caught my attention.

‘Business’.

held my curiosity

the questions I had already asked was already

my father’s dealings, it was just to carry out his

a part of me

his death sentence

the question

Miles

"Rae—."

I repeated, interrupting Zac

of an idea this was, just as

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 what he does, in my opinion.Even

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

I

as if I were stupid for not

in this city would be shady enough to

Fuck.

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

An employee.

been a goddamn

a rivaling businessman.He

...I killed an employee*.

run away or snitch on my father? ...Did he find out something he shouldn’t have? And

powerful as my father? Someone who would know better than most in

a moment and stop tunnelling down

hell was I going to do about Noah? And I quickly stood back up and stepped away, my brain swimming with a million different thoughts as for what

like the