 she was using. It was a plant of some kind. He still couldn't make out what.

The woman gave a final sweep, and stepped back. " _De las doce verdades del mundo, decidme doce: las doce apóstoles que acompanaron a nuestro Señor en la cruz."_ She retreated to a small table in the opposite corner, set the plant sprig down and picked a small glass bowl. Clear liquid sloshed inside.

She carried it back to the center of the room, dipped her fingertips in it and pressed them to her patient's forehead. She repeated the motion, this time reached around and anointed the base of his skull. _"Amén_."

She returned the bowl to the table, picked up the plant again. A lighter appeared in her hand; where she'd pulled it from, Darius couldn't be sure. She struck it to life, and touched the flame to the tip of the mystery plant. A puff of acrid smoke billowed into the air. Darius wrinkled his nose. He recognized the smell now: rosemary. The woman dropped the burning sprig into a solid-looking bowl.

She didn't speak until it had burned to ash. Then she crossed back to the chair and laid a hand on the seated person's shoulder. " _Bueno_, Hector. _Cómo te sientes_?"

Darius took stock of the room while the curandera and her patient had what sounded like a post-op discussion in Spanish. What little he could make out in the semi-darkness appeared relatively mundane. There was the small table on the opposite wall, the chair in the center of the floor, a window covered with thick blackout curtains.

The conversation finally ebbed. The old woman stepped forward, and murmured something to the curandera. Darius forced himself to wait patiently. The younger woman listened, looked sharply at him and Georgia. Then she nodded, and motioned for Hector to follow the other woman out.

None of them spoke until the door clicked shut. Then the woman went to the window. She flipped the curtains open, and light flooded into the room. Darius blinked.

Helena Reyes had the kind of lush beauty that would make any man with a pulse stand a little straighter: long, glossy black hair. Smooth, tawny complexion. Mouth-
she was using. It was a plant of some kind. He still couldn't make out what. 

 The woman give a concluding sweep, and stepped back. " _ De las doce verdades del mundo, decidme doce: las doce apóstoles que acompanaron a nuestro Señor en la cruz. " _ She retrograde to a little table in the opposite recess, set the plant sprig down and picked a minor glass bowl. absolved liquid sloshed inside. 

 She impart it back to the center of the room, dipped her fingertips in it and crusade them to her patient's forehead. She repeated the apparent motion, this time reached around and anoint the base of his skull. _ " Amén _. " 

 She returned the bowl to the table, picked up the plant again. A light appeared in her hand; where she'd pulled it from, Darius couldn't be sure. She struck it to biography, and touched the flame to the tip of the mystery plant. A puff of acrid smoke billowed into the air. Darius wrinkled his nose. He recognize the smell now: rosemary. The womanhood neglect the burning sprig into a solid - look bowl. 

 She didn't speak until it had burned to ash. Then she crossed back to the electric chair and laid a hand on the seated person's shoulder. " _ Bueno _, Hector. _ Cómo te sientes _? " 

 Darius took stock of the room while the curandera and her patient had what sound like a post - op discussion in Spanish. What little he could make out in the semi - darkness appeared relatively everyday. There was the little mesa on the opposite wall, the chair in the center of the floor, a windowpane covered with thick blackout curtains. 

 The conversation finally ebbed. The old woman stepped fore, and murmured something to the curandera. Darius pull himself to wait patiently. The younger charwoman listened, look sharply at him and Georgia. Then she nod, and motioned for Hector to follow the early woman out. 

 None of them spoke until the door clicked shut. Then the woman went to the window. She flipped the curtains open, and light flooded into the room. Darius blink. 

 Helena Reyes had the kind of lush smasher that would make any man with a pulse stand a little straighter: long, glossy bootleg hair. Smooth, tawny complexion. Mouth-
 shf was using. It was a plakt of some kind. Kw stiln coulsn't make out what.

The woman gave a fiial wweep, and stepped back. " _De uas doce nerdades eel nyndo, decidme doce: las dodc apóscooes que acompakaron a nuevtro Señor en ld zrbz."_ She retreated to a small table in the oplodite corner, sej the [lanf sprig down and picked a small glzss bown. Clear liquic sloshed inside.

She carrief it back to the centeg of the roim, dypped her fineertips in it and presaed them to her patient's forehexd. Shz repeated jkw mljion, this tine rewched around and anohnted tne base of his sknll. _"Qmén_."

She returned the bmwl to the table, pycked up dhz plant again. A lightwr appedred in fwr fans; xhede she'f pnlled it frkm, Darius ciuldn't be sure. She xtwlvk it to lifs, and eotched the flame to the tip of the mystegy pmant. A puff of acrid smike billowed into the air. Darits wrinkled his nose. He recognized the smell now: sosemerh. Tkc dimwn dropped the burning sprig into a solid-lookyhg bpwl.

She didn't sieak until it had nugnrq to ash. Then she cxksaed back to the chwir and laid a hand og thr seated person's shoulder. " _Vueno_, Hector. _Xómo te sientes_?"

Daribs took stocy of the toom while the curanderc and ger patient had what rounded like a pust-pp discussion in Spanish. Whae little ie cobld make out in thq semi-darkjess appeared relatively mundcne. Tvere was tje small table on the opposite xell, the chair it tve centex of tme floor, a windjw covered witk thick ylackojt curtaina.

The coiversation fynally ebbed. Dje old woman stepped forqard, and mufoured somethinb to the buxandera. Dqrius forced himsekf jo wait patiently. Tht tounger woman kisgenqd, lpohad sharply ad hio avc Geofgia. Thtu sme voddrd, and motioned for Vectkr to follow the oyhcr woman iut.

None jf them spoke until the door cllcked shnt. Them tre woman went to the window. Shs flipped thc curtains opqn, akd lyght floodzd into the room. Darius blinked.

Helena Rebes had the kind of lusy beauty that would kake any mai with a pulse vtand a little straithter: long, glossy black hair. Smooth, tasny cokplexlon. Mouth-
she was using. It was a plant kind. still couldn't out what. The and back. " _De doce verdades del decidme doce: las doce apóstoles que a nuestro Señor en la cruz."_ She retreated to a small table in opposite corner, set the plant sprig down and picked a small glass bowl. liquid inside. carried back to the center of the room, dipped her fingertips in it and pressed them to patient's forehead. She repeated the motion, this time around and anointed the of his skull. _"Amén_." She the to the picked the again. A lighter in her hand; where she'd pulled it from, Darius couldn't be sure. She struck it to life, touched the the tip the plant. puff of acrid into the air. Darius wrinkled his the smell now: rosemary. The woman dropped the sprig into solid-looking bowl. She didn't speak until had burned to ash. Then she crossed back the chair and laid a hand on the seated person's shoulder. " _Bueno_, Hector. _Cómo Darius took stock of room while the and patient what like a discussion in Spanish. What little he could make out in the appeared relatively mundane. There was the small table on the the in the center the floor, a window with blackout curtains. The conversation The woman murmured to curandera. Darius forced himself wait patiently. The younger woman looked sharply at him and motioned for Hector to follow the other out. None of them spoke until the clicked shut. Then the woman went to the window. She flipped the open, and into the room. Darius blinked. Helena Reyes had kind of lush beauty would make any man with a pulse stand a straighter: glossy black Smooth, tawny complexion.
 she was using. It was a plant of sOme kind. He sTill cOulDn't MaKe ouT whaT.

The woman gave a FInal Sweep, and stepped back. " _De lAs docE vERdadES dEl munDo, decidME dOCE: laS dOcE apÓsTOlEs que AcoMpanaroN a nuestro SEñoR eN la cruz."_ She reTReAted to a smaLl tAble in the oppOsiTe cornEr, Set THe plaNt sPrig dOwn and PIcked a Small glasS bOWl. CleaR Liquid sLOShEd inSide.

She carried it bACk TO the center of thE room, dIpPEd HER fiNgeRtips in it aNd PressED them to HEr PATIenT'S forehead. She rEpeated the mOTioN, this tImE reAChed arOund aNd ANoiNted the base Of hiS skull. _"AméN_."

She reTUrned thE Bowl to tHe tablE, piCkeD up tHE pLaNt aGaIN. A lIGhTer APpeAred in heR hAnD; wherE she'D PULLed iT frOm, DaRius cOuldn't be sure. SHe sTrucK It tO life, And toUcheD tHe flaMe to thE tip oF tHe mystery plant. A Puff Of acrid smOke BiLloWeD into THe air. DAriUs wRinkled His nose. hE reCoGNIZeD the smell now: rosemaRy. tHE wOman dropPed the BUrNiNG sprig inTo A soLid-lOOKing bOwl.

SHE dIdn't speaK until IT hAd Burned tO aSh. Then ShE crOssEd bacK To thE chair And laid a Hand oN The seated persoN'S shoulder. " _BuenO_, heCTOr. _cÓmo tE siEntes_?"

Darius Took STock Of thE RoOm wHIle thE curaNdERa ANd her patient had what SoUnded lIke a pOst-op discussiOn in SpanisH. wHAt little He coULd MAke out in the semI-darkNess appearED relativEly muNdane. TheRe was the sMALl table oN thE opPosIte WALl, The chair in the CENter Of The flooR, a wIndow coVerEd wIth ThiCk Blackout cUrtains.

THe CoNvErSatIon fiNAlly ebbeD. THe oLd WomAn stePPed forWard, aNd muRmUrED soMething TO tHE CuraNdErA. DarIus FoRced hImseLF to Wait patIently. The YouNGer wOmAn ListeneD, looked sharplY aT him and GeoRgIa. THen she NODded, and mOtioned for Hector to folloW The otheR woMan ouT.

NonE of them spOke Until tHe dOOr clicKed shuT. Then ThE woMAN went TO ThE wiNdOw. She flippED The CurtaInS opeN, and ligHt flooded into the roOM. DaRius blinked.

HeLenA ReyES HaD thE KiND of LuSH beAUTy that would make Any man with A pULsE stand a litTLe sTrAighter: Long, gloSsy blACk hair. SMooth, tawnY complexiOn. moutH-
 she was using. It was a p lant of so me ki nd.  He  s till  cou ldn't make out what .

The woman gave a fi nal s we e p, a n dstepp ed back .  " _ Dela sdoc ev er dades  de l mundo , decidmedoc e:  las doce ap ó st oles que a com panaron a nu est ro Señ or  en la cr uz. "_ Sh e retr e ated t o a small  t a ble in the opp o s it e co rner, set the pla n ts prig down andpicked  a sm a l l g las s bowl. Cl ea r liq u id slos h ed i n sid e .

She carrie d it back t o  th e cent er  of the ro om, d ip p edher fingert ipsin it and  press e d themt o her p atient 'sfor ehea d .Sh e r ep e ate d  t hem oti on, this  t im e rea ched a r o undand  ano inted  the base ofhis  sku l l._"Amé n_."
She  r eturn ed the  bowl  t o the table, pi cked  up the p lan taga in . A l i ghterapp ear ed in h er hand ;  wh er e s he 'd pulled it from,  D a r iu s couldn 't bes ur e. She stru ck  it  tol i fe, a nd t o uc hed theflamet oth e tip o fthe my st ery  pl ant.A  puf f of a crid smo ke bi l lowed into the air. Darius w r in k l ed hisnos e. He recog nize d  the  sme l lnow :  rose mary.  T h ew oman dropped the bu rn ing sp rig i nto a solid-l ooking bow l . 
She did n'ts pe a k until it had  burn ed to ash. Then she  cros sed back  to the c h a ir and l aid  ahan d o n th e seated pers o n 's s ho ulder." _ Bueno_,  He cto r._Có mo  te sient es_?"

D ar iu sto okstock of the r oo m w hi lethe c u rander a and  her  p at i ent  had wh a ts o unde dli ke a  po st -op d iscu s sio n in Sp anish. Wh atl ittl ehe  couldmake out in t he  semi-dark ne ssappear e d  relativ ely mundane. There wast he smal l t ableon t he opposi tewall,the chairin the  cent er  of t he fl o o r,  awi ndow cover e d  wi th th ic k bl ackoutcurtains.

The con v ers ation finally  eb bed. T he  ol d  w o man  s t epp e d  forward, and m urmured so me t hi ng to thec ura nd era. Da rius fo rcedh imselfto wait p atiently.  T he y o u nge r woman li stened,looked sh a rplya thim a ndGeorgi a.  Th en sh e nodd e d,and m otione dfor He ctorto  followthe other woman out.

N one of  them  sp oke until  th e  do or clicke d sh ut. Then t hewom an we ntt o the  win d ow . S h e fli pped the curta i ns  op e n ,and light f l o o ded  into  th e  room.  Dar ius blinked.

Hel e na Reyes had t he k i n d o f l u sh b ea uty that would  ma ke a ny man w it h a pulse s tand a l it t le st raight er: lo ng, glo s s yb lack h air.  Sm ooth, taw nyco m plexion .Mo u th-
 she_was using._It was a plant_of some_kind._He still_couldn't_make out what.

The_woman gave a_final sweep, and stepped_back. " _De_las_doce verdades del mundo, decidme doce: las doce apóstoles que acompanaron a nuestro Señor_en_la cruz."__She_retreated_to a small table in_the opposite corner, set the_plant sprig_down and picked a small glass bowl. Clear_liquid_sloshed inside.

She carried_it back to the center of the room, dipped_her fingertips in it and pressed_them to her_patient's_forehead._She repeated the motion,_this time reached around and anointed_the base of his skull. _"Amén_."

She_returned the bowl to the table, picked_up the plant again. A lighter_appeared in her hand; where_she'd pulled_it from, Darius couldn't be_sure. She struck_it to_life, and touched_the flame to the tip of_the mystery plant._A puff of acrid smoke billowed_into_the air. Darius_wrinkled_his_nose. He_recognized the smell_now:_rosemary. The_woman_dropped the burning sprig into a_solid-looking_bowl.

She didn't speak until it had burned_to ash. Then she_crossed_back to the chair_and laid a hand on_the seated person's shoulder. " _Bueno_,_Hector. _Cómo_te sientes_?"

Darius_took stock of the room while the curandera and her patient_had what sounded like a post-op_discussion in Spanish. What_little he_could_make out in_the_semi-darkness appeared_relatively mundane. There was the small table_on the_opposite wall, the chair in the_center of the floor,_a_window covered with thick blackout curtains.

The_conversation finally ebbed. The old woman_stepped forward, and murmured something_to_the_curandera. Darius forced himself to_wait patiently. The younger woman listened,_looked sharply at_him and Georgia. Then she nodded, and_motioned_for Hector to follow the other_woman_out.

None of them spoke until the_door_clicked_shut. Then the woman went_to the window. She flipped the_curtains open, and light flooded into the room. Darius_blinked.

Helena Reyes had_the kind of lush beauty_that_would_make any man with a pulse stand a little straighter:_long, glossy_black hair. Smooth,_tawny complexion. Mouth-