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.

sort of familiar?" I heard Zac

as I went

had a grocery store reward one...a rental shop...a membership

then, finally, I found his driver’s

looks like

Zac continued.

a few

reading the name

days ago?" I slowly spun around to

this guy’s

"Noah Kennedy."

simultaneously, we both then turned to look at

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

a fast

to him? But...‘clean up’.That’s how this job had been

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

pulled out the cloth

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

please," he immediately started

do anything.Just...don’t

Miles?" I asked, disregarding the

a moment

"What about Miles?"

for people not answering my questions plainly.I’d already had my fill of

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

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

me repeat myself for the

squirmed in fear but managed to huff out a ‘yes’, his head

"Howe"

m-my brother,"

of my nose, already knowing I was going to hate where

when was the last time

showed up at the bar on Saturday.I think

but it’s like he’s just disappeared....Is

That caught my attention.

‘Business’.

that held my curiosity and yet I

questions I had already asked was already way too

my father’s dealings, it was just to carry

a part of me

find out whether or not his death sentence today was actually because

question I knew I shouldn’t

Miles involved with?" I

"Rae—."

I repeated, interrupting Zac before he could

an

was also under the same orders to

"Smuggling," Noah answered.

businessman in town.Gets in supplies and rare goods from all over.The best

stopped.No, I *definitely* shouldn’t have

I

as if

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

Fuck.

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

An employee.

been

some random criminal or a rivaling businessman.He was on the

...I killed an employee*.

to bring him in at all? Was he trying to run away or snitch on my father? ...Did he find out something he

what could make someone want to betray aman as powerful as my father? Someone who would know better than most in this

for a moment and stop tunnelling down a thought process that had no end

to do about Noah? And I quickly stood back up and stepped away,

like the jobs I’d had