Juan crossed the inner yard and the veranda to Marcelina’s house. He thanked her for taking care of Gaspar and rummaged in his leather bag to find a necklace that he’d bought on a whim for Tali in the ostentatious hotel casino in Corrientes, but that he’d ultimately decided she wouldn’t like much. They were hard stones from the Wanda mines, near Iguazú. The gems—blue, white, pink, green, purple—were strung together, and the necklace could be worn by looping it several times or simply letting it hang long. Marcelina was moved and tried halfheartedly to refuse the gift, but Juan put the necklace carefully around her neck, trying not to tangle the stones in her hair. It looks lovely on you, he told her. I hope you enjoy it. Marcelina fingered the stones, then reached into her front apron pocket and pulled out a caburé feather.

“For the little one,” she said.

Juan accepted the talisman on behalf of Gaspar. Then he asked Marcelina for her permission to take the things Rosario had left in her care. Marcelina ushered him into the room where she stored old junk. Juan searched until he found the box with the symbol discreetly drawn on one end. He opened it and found a plastic bag inside, an innocent grocery bag. He smiled when he saw what it contained. How smart to leave the relic with Marcelina. It was safer, even, than hiding it in Tali’s temple. The Order would never have searched the belongings of a servant, not even one in Rosario’s confidence.

Tali was waiting for him outside Puerto Reyes, leaning against his car. He kissed her, taking her face in his hands. On tiptoe, she sank her fingers into his hair.

“Damn, you’re kissing me like it was the last time. You still have to come by the house to pick up the relic of Rosario’s you left with me.”

Juan shook his head.

“It’s yours. Use it. She could give you a sign.”

Tali’s dark eyes studied him.

“I don’t want you to come back to this house again, not even for the Ceremonial,” said Juan.

“You don’t get to give me orders, okay?”

“It’s a request, not an order. A favor. Every year, when I see that you and Stephen haven’t gone into the Darkness, I can breathe again. I can’t ask Stephen to stop coming because this is his family and his world. I can ask you though.”

Juan hugged her again, felt her body; he let her put a hand into his pants to caress him.

“It’s okay,” he said. “I don’t feel like it now.”

They looked at each other in the heat, under the sun, both of them excited and a little crazed and sad. They could hear the swollen river, a nervous bird. The house, distant and silent, seemed dead. When would the guests leave? The parking area was still full. Juan considered telling Tali about Mercedes, but it wasn’t the right time. He hadn’t told Stephen yet either. He would do it on the plane.