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

I ignored him as I went

membership to a laundromat? I didn’t even know

finally, I found his driver’s

of looks like that

Zac continued.

a few days

I said, reading the name on the

days ago?" I slowly spun around to look at Zac,

this guy’s last name,"

"Noah Kennedy."

both then turned to look at the man tied up

his connection to him? I’d thought that Miles was

to pull a fast one over my

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

in whatever Miles 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

and pulled out the cloth

dumbest thing I could ever do...but I felt we were already past the point

please," he immediately

anything.Just...don’t

to Miles?" I asked, disregarding the

blanked for a moment before becoming

"What about Miles?"

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

sunk m y dagger into the wall directly

hissed, pulling the knife back

repeat myself

managed to huff out a ‘yes’, his

"Howe"

brother,"

bridge of my nose, already

when was the last

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

I’ve been looking for him but it’s like he’s just disappeared....Is that why you’re here? Does this have something to do with him? ...Or

That caught my attention.

‘Business’.

something that held my curiosity and yet I knew I

I had already asked was already

father’s dealings, it

of me wanted

his death sentence today was actually because

I asked the question I

was Miles involved

"Rae—."

I repeated, interrupting Zac before he could

how bad of an idea this was, just

he was also under the same orders to not pry too

"Smuggling," Noah answered.

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

I

me as if I were stupid for not

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

Fuck.

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

An employee.

had been a goddamn

or a rivaling businessman.He was on the

...I killed an employee*.

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

father? Someone who would know better than most in this

stop tunnelling down a thought process

As in, what the hell was I going to do about Noah? And I quickly stood back

the jobs I’d