Chapter 2

"Talk about being ungrateful!" Samuel spat.

"The Mountain God watches over this whole place. You should count your lucky stars to be chosen as his bride!" Samuel sneered.

Samuel cursed and yanked a cloth bag from his waist, tossing it to Malcolm.

He might call it a blessing, but none of the brides offered up to the Mountain God ever came back alive.

Malcolm snatched up the heavy cloth bag and hurriedly opened it. Inside, it was full of gold, silver, and jewels.

His eyes sparkled with greed.

"Yeah, My Lord, please don't get mad. I've got plenty of ways to make her behave," Malcolm said eagerly.

Malcolm kicked off his shoes and stomped over to the coffin, smacking me hard across the mouth and face.

My lips were already riddled with tiny needle holes, and with every blow, blood kept seeping out. The taste of blood filled my mouth, attracting a swarm of rats that squeaked and scratched at the coffin.

I looked at Isabella, Malcolm, and Olivia, each of them grinning with vicious, twisted smiles. Right then, whatever was left of my faith in family was crushed for good.

"Samuel, it's me!" I croaked out, my voice barely more than a whisper.

I forced out the words, using every ounce of strength I had left.

If Samuel recognized me, maybe he'd remember I had saved Vincent's life once, and then he would spare me.

"That voice..." Samuel whispered, his eyes going wide in disbelief.

Sure enough, when Samuel heard my voice coming from inside the coffin, he stared in shock and stepped even closer.

"Apologies, My Lord. This wretched girl just won't shut up. I'll sew her mouth shut right now!" Olivia hissed, her voice dripping with malice.

Olivia picked up the needle again, then moved to stitch my lips closed again, her hands steady and merciless.

"No! Please don't!" I begged, my voice shaking with terror.

"Samuel, it's me!" I called out desperately, hoping he'd recognize me.

I shook my head in panic, pleading with every ounce of strength I had left.

If they kept tormenting me like this, the pain alone would kill me long before any wild animal ever got the chance.

"Wait!" Samuel snapped, cutting Olivia off.

"I've watched over St. Van Shrine for a century. There aren't many voices that sound familiar to me," Samuel said, his tone gruff.

"What's the harm in taking a look?" he added.

This time, Samuel ignored their protests and walked right up to the coffin, peering inside.

I reached out my blood-soaked hand from inside the coffin, desperately hoping Samuel would recognize me.

"Where'd this ugly freak come from, trying to pass herself off as someone I know?" Samuel spat.

Samuel swiped at my face with his claws, tearing deep, bloody gashes across my skin.

I coughed up blood, my vision blurring as I stared helplessly at Samuel.

"No way someone this ugly is fit to be the Mountain God's bride. Let her rot here deep in the mountain!" Samuel sneered.

With just those words, Samuel sealed my fate.

I stared at Samuel, utterly stunned. Back when I saved that python, Samuel'd actually dropped to his knees in front of me, overflowing with gratitude for what I'd done.

He swore he'd serve me for life, protect me from harm, all to repay me for the favor I'd shown.

But I'd been terrified at the time, so I refused him without a second thought.

Later, the Mountain God, Vincent himself, told me that someone like Samuel, a mere minor spirit, wasn't even qualified to watch over me.

Did Samuel really forget all about me?

Then it hit me that my face was caked in heavy makeup, and I was so bruised and swollen that I didn't even look like myself anymore.

Even if my parents were still alive, I doubted they'd recognize me, let alone Samuel, who'd only met me once.

"Samuel, this little bitch is stubborn as hell. Why not just close the coffin and keep her from disturbing the Mountain God?" Olivia said, her gaze never leaving the treasure in Malcolm's hands, her tone sickeningly sweet.

That stash was enough to keep their whole family well for the rest of their lives.

"No need. She's just a woman. I can handle her myself," Samuel scoffed.

"Go on, get down the mountain. The Mountain God doesn't want outsiders around messing with his meditation," he snapped.

Samuel waved them off impatiently, his eyes flicking over to his dim-witted son hiding in the tree hole.

That was his eldest son, born by one of the brides who managed to survive. By tradition, he was meant to inherit the role of the Mountain Ghost.

But the boy was slow-witted and totally unfit for the job, so Samuel was already scheming to pair him off with a human girl and have him father a rat demon.

Once his son took over his job, Samuel could finally walk away and enjoy his freedom.

Olivia tugged at Malcolm's sleeve, bowing and scraping in a show of shameless flattery.

"Yes, we're leaving right now," she said, eager to please Samuel.

The three of them eagerly headed down the mountain, clutching the bag of treasure. Isabella didn't even spare me a single glance.

Watching them leave, I felt utterly broken inside. Blood-tinged tears welled up in the corners of my eyes and slipped down my cheeks.

"Father, is she my bride?" Samuel's dim-witted son shouted, stumbling out of the tree hole and gawking at me, drool running down his chin.

Everyone in the village knew that sacrificing a bride to the Mountain God would get them showered with endless wealth.

But even so, almost no family was willing to hand over their own daughter, alive, as a sacrifice, no matter how much gold was promised.

So, there were always only a handful of girls chosen for the ritual.

Samuel had waited five whole years for someone to sacrifice a living girl. At this point, he didn't even care that he'd just called me ugly a moment ago.

"Keep it down, dummy! If the Mountain God catches wind of this, he'll rip us to shreds, alive!" Samuel hissed, glancing around nervously.