Lyria's mind went completely blank.
The chief's words echoed endlessly inside her head, each one striking harder than the last. For several seconds she simply stood there, frozen in place as fear unlike anything she had ever experienced wrapped around her chest.
"No, Chief, I-"
The words had barely left her mouth when a hand suddenly grabbed her arm. Her mother. The older woman yanked her backward with surprising force and shot her a glare so fierce that Lyria's remaining words immediately died in her throat.
Her mother looked genuinely frightened, not angry or disappointed... but terrified.
The realization made Lyria's stomach sink.
Beside them, her father stepped forward before lowering his head deeply toward Chief Ragnar.
"Chief, please." His voice sounded strained. "Please forgive my daughter." The proud beastman looked years older in that moment. He bowed even lower. "I ask forgiveness from you, from female Aurora, from female Mira, and from every member of the tribe."
