The Purest Darkness

All her life, her village has prepared her as a sacrifice. She knows the name for the thing that seethes in her heart when she thinks about her fate: Compassion. Gratitude. Love. For she has a heart pure enough to save them all.
But someone else has another name for the thing inside her. He calls it monster.
And unlike the people of her village, he wants her to live.
This short story is 4600 words long. It is also available in The Fire Inside, a fantasy short story collection.