11. Daughter of the free
"Mother, I appreciate the freedom you have raised us under but this is mandatory."
"I refused before and I refuse now."
"It is a matter of time before they come for you! You don't understand how different things are now, I…"
Anarka Couffaine slammed her cup of tea on the table.
"I said no, Luka! Do you wish your sister and I to live like scared birds?"
Luka Couffaine groaned in frustration at his mother. Couldn't she see that he was trying to protect them? Did she not care about Juleka?
"I want you to be safe, mother. Do you want my sister imprisoned, or killed? Adrien Agreste has told me and Nino that his father is more serious than ever about punishing witches."
The woman buffed with disdain and mocked her firstborn's words with her mere sight.
"So the master yells and the hound sits, are you Adrien's hound, Luka?"
Despite his manners and respect for his mother, Luka rolled his blue eyes.
"Adrien is different from his father, he isn't trying to intimidate us, he is warning us! You never attend church, mother, your husband left for a world-riding and you never behave like a lady! How long do you think it will take for them to claim against you?"
Anarka left her cup and got to her feet, raising her chin and walking like a queen —or a king.
"I will not lower my head, nor my voice, Luka. Prove me that I did raise you and don't force your sister to do it either. God knows I tried to make her a strong woman, but," she sneered, "I guess that when you don't have it, you don't have it."
Luka glanced in disbelief at Anarka opening the kitchen's backdoor, a rare thunder of anger running through his soul. She directly exposing her own integrity was one thing, but mocking and endangering Juleka was a completely different one.
"Where the hell are you going?!"
"For a walk."
"Have you not heard me? Women are not allowed to go out without a man now!"
"I forbid you to follow me, Luka."
"Mother!"
Anarka slammed the door and left, as if she was trying to let the whole neighborhood know that she was leaving.
Luka fell to a chair in despair. His younger sister walked down the stairs and came to his side to hold his hand and offer him a sad smile.
"You know her. Of course she wouldn't take it well. She can't be governed, that's why dad left us."
She shook his head.
"He left us because he is a coward who thinks that monetary support is his only duty as a father. And I'm not trying to govern her, I want to keep her and you safe. It has been my duty since dad left."
She rested her head against his shoulder.
"You can keep me safe, brother. And my friends, we need a guy to hang out with us now."
He chuckled. He loved his sister.