Like Bryani, half of the old man's face was covered with an eerie green tattoo. "What goes here?"
"We beseech moral restitution," Arnulf said. "Your daughter has brought a Katagari mate into our pack. We want her."
The old man raked a censoring gaze over Bride, then looked to Bryani.
"I had to, Father," Bryani said as she lowered her sword. "There was no other way."
The old man ordered the others to leave them.
The men did so reluctantly. But before they left, some howled like animals. Others looked back with expressions that promised they intended to renew this discussion.
For the first time, Bride was scared. Something wasn't right about this "fantasy."
If she didn't know better, she'd swear it was real. But it couldn't be.
Could it?
Once they were alone, the old man led them toward the farthest table in the room; it stood high on a dais. Two chairs that looked like large, hand-carved thrones capped with wolfheads stood behind the table. "What are you thinking, Bry?" he asked her escort.
"I wanted to protect her, Father. Is that not what a Sentinel does? Are we not to protect the world from the Katagaria animals?"
He looked aggravated by her words. "But she is mated to one."
"They have not joined themselves. She is only marked. If we keep her here until the mark is gone, then she will be free of him."
The old man shook his head while his wolf came over to sniff at Bride.
Bride stared at it, wondering if it would stay a wolf or become something else.
"Why not just kill her mate?" the old man asked.
Bryani looked away.
The old man let out a tired breath. "I told you to kill them centuries ago, daughter."
Anger flared in her eyes. "I tried to kill him, remember? He grew too strong."
The old man made a disgusted sound in the back of his throat. "She is yours to guard. I will rally the others, and this time when he comes to us, we will finish what was started."
Bryani nodded, then motioned for Bride to follow her. She led her past the thrones, down a narrow corridor in back that led to a set of rooms off the hall.
The place was spartan for the most part, but it did have some interesting comforts, such as a large, padded bed and furs, and twenty-first-century novels.
Bride picked up Kinley MacGregor's A Dark Champion and laughed. Oh yeah, good dream here. "Could you please conjure me a Coke?" she asked Bryani. "I'm feeling the need for one."
"Nay, I cannot. That would require my going forward in time to retrieve one and my powers for that were taken from me." Her tone was angry and bitter. "It is why I had to conjure the demon to fetch you."
"Who took your powers?"
"My mate." Bryani spat the words. "He stole much from me, but have no fear. His son will not violate you. I will see to it."
Bride returned the book to the small stack on the nightstand. "You know, none of that makes a bit of sense to me."
Bryani put her hands on her hips as she faced her. "Then how about this? The so-called man who took you, Vane, is a wolf I was forced against my will to give birth to over four hundred years ago. And if I could, I would kill him for you."
"Excuse me?"
Bryani ignored her as she explained herself. "Like many women, when I was young, I was stupid. On my first venture out with my Sentinel patrol to hunt the Katagaria wolves, I was captured by our enemies, who thought it would be great fun to take turns raping me."
Bride felt sick from hearing Bryani's story. A wave of sympathetic ache consumed her.
This poor woman. She couldn't imagine anything worse.
And she was Vane's mother…
Her lips curled, Bryani shook her head. "But the Fates are often cruel and I, like you, found myself mated to one of those animals who had hurt me. Vane's father kept me captive for weeks as he abused me more, trying to make me accept him as my mate. They can't, you know. Acceptance is strictly in our hands. Not theirs."
This couldn't be real. No. Bride was dreaming, though why she was dreaming this, she had no idea. "You don't look like Vane."
Pure, unadulterated hatred glowed in Bryani's hazel eyes. "He looks like his filthy father."
Bride frowned as she remembered Fury saying that to her. Ah, her mind was replaying it in her delusion. Made sense.
Sort of.
But why would she make up so tragic a tale? Bride had never been the kind of person to wish ill on anyone, least of all Vane's mother.
Could this be real?
Was that possible?
Bride moved toward the blond woman and took her hands in hers to study her palms. "You don't have a mark."
"Nay. If the mating isn't consummated within three weeks, the mark fades and we as women are free to go our own way. The men are left impotent for the duration of our lives."