Zita fell to her knees. For the first time in fifteen years, she was away from her child. The baby she had helped bring into the world, the child she had taken care of all these years, didn’t want to see her. Zita was lost. Baba Carlos felt her pain, went close to her, and hugged her.

“Zita, you’ll need to give her time. I don’t know what happened, but I see and feel that both of you are suffering.”

“She doesn’t want to bow and follow rules. The Master ordered me to educate her and force her to the desert.”

“Why the desert?”

“The oldest of us witches lives there. She’s the one who educates, who teaches. Maria didn’t want to go and ran away.”

“Your Master didn’t know this was going to happen?”

“He knew!”

“Then why the surprise?”

“The Master didn’t tell me, Baba Carlos. I don’t know what his plan is for Maria or for me.”

“The Gods cannot decide everything for us, Zita. I think my daughter made this clear tonight.”

“Baba Carlos, now I’ll go speak with my Master. He’s calling me. I’ll be back.”

“You can come back, but you cannot pass beyond Exu’s house.”

“Yes, Baba. I’ll respect the imposed limits.”

Zita went away. Baba Carlos stayed with Exu a bit longer. Baba Carlos was confused. He thought he knew where his daughter belonged, but now he didn’t anymore. His daughter had changed everything, and all the certainties in both worlds had ended.

Baba Carlos walked to the temple and entered Maria’s room. She was sleeping peacefully. She looked like a little goddess.

Maria woke up happy, singing, and made breakfast for her father and herself.

“Are you okay, minha filha?”

“Yes, Father. I’m completely fine. I’ll go help the women of the temple with their work, and then I’ll go swim with Oxum.”

Maria didn’t mention Zita, didn’t speak about what happened, didn’t speak about anything. She lived as if she had never left the sacred grounds.

A month had passed.

“Maria, you have visitors in Exu’s house waiting for you.”

“I don’t want to see Zita, Father.”

“It’s not Zita, minha filha. Well, Zita is always there, but Amada and Lúcia are there waiting for you.”

“Amada can come up to the temple, Father. She could stay a few days with us.”

“I’ll take care of it, minha filha.”

Baba Carlos went down and spoke with Lúcia, Zita and the witches.

“I’m sorry, my ladies. Only Amada can see Maria, and Maria is asking if Amada can stay a few days with us at the temple.”

“Amada, do you want to stay?” Lúcia asked her daughter.

“Yes, Mother, I want to.”

“Then try to speak with Maria. Tell her the things we told you.” Lúcia hugged her daughter and looked at Baba Carlos.

“Baba Carlos, we also need to solve the problem with her mother. She called five times. She wants to see Maria.”

“I’m sure you three witches can solve that.” Baba Carlos looked at Zita.

“Yes, Baba Carlos, I can solve that!” Zita told him.

Baba Carlos and Amada arrived at the temple. When Maria saw Amada, she ran to hug her friend.

“Amada, I missed you so much.”

“I missed you too, Maria. And you know who’s also missing you?”

“Who?”

“Zita, Maria. Zita is missing you. Maria, you should listen to her.”

“Amada, she betrayed me.”

“Why? What do you mean?”

“She wanted me to go away to a desert. She wants me to bow my head and obey. I don’t even know this Master.”

“I thought you were falling in love with him. You were so different since you started to hear his voice.”

“I love him, but I won’t bow my head to him. I’ll never be on my knees for him, and I won’t obey him.”

“But Maria, he is the Master.”

“I don’t care.”

“But Maria, you belong to him.”

“I belong to nobody.”

“What about Zita?”

“When I stop hating her, I’ll speak with her.”

“You hate her now?”

“Yes, I do, because I love her.”

The months passed. Amada stayed in the temple with Maria. The witches kept Maria’s mother busy taking care of her mother, who needed a lot of care after the stroke. Every day, Zita tried to speak with Maria, but Maria didn’t want to.

Amada and Maria took care of all the Orixás, helped take care of the temple, and took turns teaching the children in the school of the temple. Soon it was Maria’s sixteenth birthday.

“Maria, a present was left for you at Exu’s house.”

Maria took the present and the letter that came with it.

“Aren’t you going to open it, Maria?” Amada asked.

“No, but I’ll read the letter.”

Maria finished reading the letter and ran down the hill to Exu’s house. She entered. Zita was there.

“Zita!”

“Filha!”

Maria hugged Zita, and they held each other, both crying.

“Zita, I missed you. I suffered a lot without you.”

“Me too, child. I was here waiting for you.”

“Why didn’t you come?”

“You forbade my entrance.”

“Zita, you should have come anyway. You must learn disobedience.”