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.

look sort of familiar?"

I ignored him as I went digging

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

then, finally, I found his

looks

Zac continued.

from a few days

reading the name on the

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

is this guy’s

"Noah Kennedy."

then turned to look at the man tied

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

pull a fast one

have acquired problematic documents relating to

here because he was digging into his disappearance? ...If that were true...then didn’t that mean Noah’s death sentence today was

out the

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

me go, please," he immediately started

anything.Just...don’t

Miles?" I asked, disregarding

blanked for a moment before becoming

"What about Miles?"

not answering my

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

hissed, pulling the

myself for the last

huff out

"Howe"

brother,"

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

the last time you heard

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

swear! I’ve been looking for him but it’s like he’s

That caught my attention.

‘Business’.

curiosity and yet I

already asked was

wasn't to investigate my father’s dealings, it was just to carry out his

part of me wanted

whether or not his death sentence today was

I asked the question I knew I

Miles

"Rae—."

I repeated, interrupting Zac before he could

an idea this was, just as I

all, he was also under the same orders to not pry

"Smuggling," Noah answered.

rare goods

*definitely* shouldn’t have wanted to keep going....But I couldn’t

I

as if I

course.Who else in this city would be shady

Fuck.

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

An employee.

had been a goddamn

criminal or a rivaling

...I killed an employee*.

him in at all? Was he trying to run away or snitch on my father? ...Did he find out something he shouldn’t have? And those documents allegedly pertaining

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 what going against him entailed? There were too many questions already asked and far

moment and stop tunnelling down a thought process

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

like the