"Dare!" The shout rang out from the old man. "Why have you brought her here?"
The Vane lookalike cast a malevolent look at Bride. "I call for a timoria against her mate."
Agreement echoed from the crowd.
"Nay," Bryani said as she pushed her way through the crowd to reach them.
"What's the matter, Mother?" Dare asked as he turned toward Bryani. "Have your feelings for the animals who prey upon us changed?"
"You know better."
"Then let us give back to them what they have given to us."
Bryani pulled her sword on her son. "I took a Sentinel's oath to protect"
"A Katagari whore?" Dare asked, interrupting her. He pushed Bride toward Bryani.
"She reeks of their scent. I say we settle this once and for all."
A cheer rang out.
Bride shook with terror.
"Father?" Bryani said to the old man. "Is this the way it's to be?"
The old man took his time scanning the crowd before he faced his daughter.
"You should have consulted me before you brought her here, Bryani. You seek protection for our enemies when there is not a family among us who hasn't been torn apart by the Katagaria. Gods of Olympus, look what they have done to our own family. I have lost your mother's sanity and all my children save you to them. You barely returned from their clutches and then only because you managed to fight them off. Now you beg clemency for one of them? Have they driven you completely mad, too, daughter?"
He passed a less than sympathetic gaze to Bride. "We shall put the timoria to a vote. Who among you says aye?"
The roar was so loud that Bride had to cover her ears.
"Who says nay?"
"I do," Bryani said, but she was a lone voice in the crowd.
The old man gripped his staff and took a deep breath. "It is decided, then. Prepare the human for the timoria."
Bride had a really bad feeling the timoria wasn't a good thing, especially when three women came forward to drag her off.
"What's happening?" she asked the women who grabbed her. "What's a timoria?"
"I'm so sorry, Bride," Bryani said before she was pulled away. "Please forgive me."
Forgive her for what?
"Excuse me?" Bride snapped hysterically as she tried to pry the women's hands off her. It was useless. "Would you please tell me what the hell is going on here?"
The tallest of the women turned on her with a snarl. "For mating with a Katagari, there is only one punishment. You will be given to the unmated men of our clan."
"Given to them how?"
The look on the woman's face said it all. They intended to rape her.
Bride screamed and fought them with everything she had.
Vane took a minute to get his bearings as he arrived in ancient Britain. Time-travel always disoriented him. It took a lot of power to time-jump.