The townhouse was on the same plot as an abandoned church and cemetery. Maria looked at the church and felt relieved. The vibration was similar to Zita’s vibration, but stronger. Way stronger.

“You live in a church in a cemetery?” Maria asked Lúcia, walking towards the entrance of the house.

“No, Maria, our house is on the same plot, but we don’t live in the church. Technically, our house was built on the same plot.”

“On cemetery grounds?”

“Yes, we can call it cemetery grounds. I love how you give such simple but at the same time meaningful names.” Lúcia touched her forehead gently.

“Come in, Maria. Don’t be afraid.”

“No, I’m not afraid. I like it here.” Lúcia smiled proudly.

“Good for you, Maria, that you’re not afraid, because I am!” said Amada.

“Afraid of what?”

“Of everything and nothing. I never saw the spirit of a dead person, but they scare me.”

“Our witches are spirits of dead people, Amada,” said Lúcia, looking at her daughter.

“You’re not afraid, right, Maria?”

“No, I’m not. I would like to see the cemetery. I never entered one.”

“Maria, we need to do the ritual now because today you must go back to your mother’s home.”

Maria touched her hair, took a lock of hair, and looked at it sadly.

“That’s exactly what we need to solve.”

Maria touched her necklace, the collar Yemanjá gave her.

“Exactly that too, Maria. Your mother cannot see your hair, your collar, or your ring. She must see only what she needs to see and wants to see.”

“Lúcia, but how are we going to do that?”

“Come, Maria, you’ll see.”

Maria followed Lúcia upstairs. On the second floor of the house, she opened a room. The walls were black, and in the middle of the room was a bronze cauldron. Zita, Nei, and Nara were already there, lighting candles.

Lúcia drew a star on the floor, and Zita moved the cauldran to the side.

“Wait, Amada is not going to participate?”

“No, Maria. Amada wants to stay in the swimming pool and wants to read her romances. As you already know, she doesn’t belong to this energy. She likes it, but she wasn’t born in this energy.”

“Are you sad about it?”

“No, I’m not. Every one of us is born with their own energy. We need to respect that.”

“And she cannot change?”

“She can. We will see.”

“Maria, come here.” Zita took her hand and placed Maria in the middle of the star.

“Now, Maria, I need you to concentrate on who you are, on how you want to live your life, on your dreams, on everything that you want.”

The three witches and Lúcia started to sing in a language Maria didn’t understand.

The witches started to add herbs and liquids to the cauldron. Maria could smell the perfumes but didn’t recognize what those herbs and liquids were. Maria’s head started to spin. She saw forests she had never seen before, a sea with black waters, waves that broke on rocks, and kilometres and kilometres of land.

The first land was covered in darkness, even though Maria could see that it was daytime. The sky was grey, almost black, and the clouds were so low that they seemed to touch the mountains. There were no trees on those mountains, only grass, stones, and a thick mist that moved with the wind.

Maria saw an enormous lake. Its water was black, and on the other side stood the ruins of a castle. There were no windows left, only holes in the stone walls. She could hear the wind passing through them, making a noise that sounded almost like someone crying.

The land was wet, cold, and empty. But Maria knew it wasn’t empty. She could feel something moving through the mist. She couldn’t see what it was, but she knew it was watching her.

On a hill, standing stones formed a circle. Some had fallen, others were still standing, covered in moss. Around them were small fires, but Maria couldn’t see who had lit them.

She heard women singing somewhere behind the stones. Their voices were carried by the wind, disappearing and returning, and Maria tried to understand the words.

The mist grew thicker, and the land disappeared.

Sudeenly it all stopped and Maria’s head started to spin on the opposite side.

Maria saw a forest so dense that the sunlight couldn’t reach the ground. The trees were enormous, their trunks dark and covered in moss. Their branches touched one another high above her, hiding the sky.

A narrow path passed between them. On both sides were stones with symbols carved into them, some so old that the rain had almost erased the markings.

Maria heard water running. Somewhere inside the forest was a river, but its water was dark, and the stones on its banks were covered in dark green musk.

Farther away stood a wooden house. Its roof was steep, its windows small, and smoke came from the chimney. Bundles of dried herbs hung beside the door. A broom made of branches rested against the wall.

Behind the house was a small clearing where women dressed in dark clothes stood around a fire. An iron cauldron hung above it, and one of the women was stirring whatever was inside.

Maria couldn’t hear what they were saying. She could only hear the fire and the wind moving through the forest.

Then the women stopped what they were doing.

All of them turned their heads towards Maria.

Before she could see their faces, the forest disappeared.

MAria’s head stopped spinning she looked up but instead of the black ceiling she saw a land covered by a forest of enormous cedar trees. Their trunks were straight and so tall that Maria couldn’t see where they ended. The ground was covered in moss, wet leaves and roots.

A narrow stone staircase led up the mountain. Along the path were old stone lanterns, some broken, others covered in moss. Small statues stood among the trees, their faces almost erased by time.

Maria saw a wooden gate painted red. Behind it was a shrine surrounded by mist. Ropes with folded white paper hung between the trees, moving gently even though there was no wind.

She heard a bell.

Then another.

Maria looked around, trying to discover where the sound was coming from.

In the distance, women wearing white robes walked slowly through the forest. Their long black hair covered their backs. None of them spoke.

One woman stopped in front of a small altar. She placed a bowl on the stone, bowed her head and moved away.

Maria approached the altar. Inside the bowl was water, so still that she could see the trees reflected in it.

Then she noticed something strange.

There was a face in the water, looking directly at her.

Maria stepped back, but the face remained.

The bell sounded again, and everything disappeared.

Suddenly, Maria fell on her knees and opened her eyes.

“You are ready now, Maria.”

“Ready for what, Zita?”

“To go back to your mother’s house.”

“But my hair is still…”

“Trust magick, Maria. Let’s go.”

“Come, Maria. I’ll drive you home,” Lúcia said.

Maria arrived home ready to be beaten. She saw her white clothes, her pearls, her ring, and especially her white hair.

“Maria, you’re back! I’m so happy to see you so well and beautiful! I just came home for clothes and some money. Your grandma had a stroke. She was taken to the hospital. I just came back and need to go there and stay with her. Lúcia, would it be okay for Maria to stay at your house for a few days or weeks? She cannot stay here alone.”

“Sure, she can stay with us,” Lúcia answered.

“Maria, my dear, come in, pack some things and clothes, and also take some fruits.”

Maria took all that she needed and got into the car, while her mother and Lúcia continued talking. Zita had never left the car.

“Zita, why didn’t you get out of the car?”

“Maria, I knew that we were not staying.”

“How did you know?” Maria asked.

“Magick, Maria. Magick always works.”