“There are times we’re more vulnerable to attacks than others. When we emerged from Ánosin téhuli, the lowermost womb or cave-world, we went to other worlds first. None of them was right. So we came to this world. But some of the creatures from the other worlds followed our ascent. That first world of sooty depth was growth generation, place of first formation, black as a chimney at nighttime, and foul as the internals of the belly. The second underworld was water moss, also dark. The third was a mud world. When we finally reached the fourth world, the one we’re in now, there was light. We called it the wing world because the rays of the sun were like birds’ wings. But we weren’t the only beings to crawl through. Witches followed us, brought seeds with them. They bargained with our leaders, so we had to let them stay. They killed two of our children, and the rains came, and the seeds grew. After many years of wandering, when we finally found Halona Idiwan’a, Middle Place, the witches found it too. They’ve lived amongst us ever since, sometimes cursing us with illness, death. Whenever we’re closest to the Spirit world, like during childbirth, the witches are never far away. We must follow ritual then, as our Ancestors instructed. It’s the safest way.”

She stared into his face. He bore the most sincere expression she’d ever seen on a grown man. He reminded her of Phoenix in some ways. She thought of the story Andres had told her, about the old man who’d thought the witches were burning him. It was radiation, not witches. There was always a scientific explanation. “My friend, I’m thankful you’ve helped me as much as you have. But I’m a scientist, not a mythmaker. I’m fascinated by our ancestors’ stories. I love piecing together the puzzles they left us. But I don’t believe them. You’ve asked me to believe I’m in danger of attack first by bogeymen called Suuke and now witches?”

His face fell, and she knew she had hurt him. He’d trusted her with his sacred stories, and she’d insulted him.

“I’m a scientist too, mujer. I don’t understand why you’re so dead set that science and belief are incompatible. Our stories are supported by evolutionary theory. Just because it’s not written in a book doesn’t make it false.”

“I’m not saying that …”