Sixteen-year-old indentured beastkeeper Koffi and seventeen-year-old warrior candidate Ekon forge an unusual alliance and venture into the Greater Jungle to hunt down a monster that has been menacing their city for a century. Includes author's note.

Indentured to the notorious Night Zoo, Koffi cares for its fearsome and magical creatures to pay off her family's debts and secure their eventual freedom. When her family's safety is threatened by the Zoo's cruel master, Koffi unleashes a power she doesn't fully understand-- and the consequences are dire. As the second son of a decorated hero, Ekon is all but destined to become a Son of the Six-- an elite warrior-- and uphold a family legacy. On the night of his final rite of passage, a fire upends his plans. In its midst, Ekon encounters the Shetani, a vicious monster that has plagued the city for nearly a century-- and Koffi, who seems to have the power to ward off the beast. Koffi and Ekon form a tentative alliance to capture the Shetani-- but it quickly becomes unclear whether they are the hunters or the hunted. -- adapted from jacket