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“Anyway, the Day of the Choosing comes next week. Will you be attending?” I ask.

“It’s your first year participating, so of course I’ll be there,” he says. “Are you ready?”

I scoff and nudge him with my shoulder. “As ready as someone can be to be handed over to a monster as a bride. Personally, I think we should get a say in who we’ll be forced to marry, including knowing the number of limbs my future husband will have, teeth count, tail, that kind of thing.” I’m giggling at my own joke, except Kazak’s not finding it funny.

He stares at me blankly, then swallows loudly. “You won’t be selected.”

“Gods, I hope not. It’s all the village has been talking about for weeks, along with decorating the square for the Choosing, and my parents have been so upset. I heard them crying the other night, talking about what they’ll do if I get selected.”

Once a year, the monsters come into our world from their realms to collect their brides. And every village across the world must select the unlucky candidates. A different number of brides are chosen each time. I’ve heard of a town picking ten, which would be devastating for their families. And the Elite families who look after each village decide on the number.

And this year, I’ve turned eighteen. So my name has been added to the Chalice. And if called out, I’ll be taken to the Monster City to be handed over to a monster. The thought leaves me shaking because I don’t want to leave Kazak.

“Be strong,” he whispers. “The chances of you being selected on your first time are low. I won’t…” His words fade, and I hear the fear behind them.

If he’s afraid, then I should be terrified of being one of the candidates, but I’ve been working late every day to avoid thinking about it. Yet, at night when I’m in bed alone, I fall apart, imagining myself being handed over to a monster. Then what? Marry it and become its slave?

Considering none of the others chosen have ever been heard from again, I try my best not to panic.

But I have no way out. It all started over three centuries ago when monsters tore holes between our world and theirs. Many call it the Great Opening, which might sound beautiful if it didn’t result in fallen cities across the globe. Those in power were literally eaten, and the human race almost vanished.

Then we introduced the Pact, where humans were assigned to live in remote and protected villages. The Elite families would monitor us, give us resources, and discipline us if we broke the rules, all to ensure the monsters received their annual Offerings.

As part of the agreement between humans and monsters, the portals only opened on sanctioned nights when the monsters came through to collect those selected from each village. And then the rest of humanity was permitted to survive.

So we follow the rules every single day of our lives.

Each village belongs to one rich, Elite family. Our village belongs to the Moonstones, and they report to the Elite Mountain King, Slate Dante. He rules the Carpathian District across Eastern Europe from his fortress in the Elite Mountain City in Brașov.

They live in luxury, while we’re the sacrifices. I hate that we’ve drawn the short straw.

“You’re quiet,” Kazak says, pulling me from my thoughts.

We step over a fallen log and follow the bend in the track. “Kazak,” I begin. “Do you want me to be given to a monster?”

For several steps, he says nothing, then his brow furrows. “Is that what you desire? To leave the village forever?”

“You know I don’t want to leave. I can’t think of anything worse,” I blurt out.

“Then you know how I feel about losing you.”

I walk in silence, but his words are turning in my thoughts. “So you admit to missing me?”

“Dawn, that’s not even something to joke about.”

“I know, but if I don’t laugh about it, I’ll cry.”

He pauses, and I bump into him, both of us so close that his breath flutters across my cheeks. I glance up, staring into his green eyes, having imagined many times what it’d be like to fall into them and lose myself with a man like Kazak.

Yet his hand reaches up and plucks a strand of hair caught at the corner of my mouth. My pulse races, and I stand there, waiting for him to lean in and finally kiss me, to give me what I’ve longed for.

But the world hates me because in that exact moment, a sudden grunt slices through the air. It’s behind us, and we both twist around. Then, in a heartbeat, the brush bursts open.

Tusks are the first thing I see, then the mottled boar with spines running down its back. The huge animal charges toward us.

I scream.

Kazak pushes me out of its path, and I stumble into another shrub. Frantically, I swing around as he rips a blade from his belt. He sidesteps the animal and drops to his knees with unimaginable speed. Then he swings his blade in a wide arc, catching the beast under its throat. The motion is fast and brutal. Almost effortless.