Milo's Journey

Chapter 4

The afternoon sun cast a golden glow on the cobblestone streets. Milo allowed himself a moment of peace as he walked with Adriana. He was still puzzled by the dark shadow he had seen earlier and remained spiritually alert, but as far as he could tell, Adriana was a normal teenager.

Adriana halted at the edge of town, her eyes fixed on the house. It blended seamlessly with the sky and afternoon sun, its white-and-blue exterior giving off a peaceful calm. The simple ranch-style home had a small front porch and was adorned with flower pots lining the walkway up to the door.

“Well, this is me. Do you want to come in and meet my mom?” Adriana asked as she stepped up onto the porch.

“Sure,” Milo said, his gaze lingering on the house.

As he approached, he took note of the plants along the path—St. John’s wort and rosemary for protection, lavender and chamomile for happiness, jasmine for peace. Near the door sat three small stones of black tourmaline, set deliberately for warding. It was an intentional arrangement, practiced rather than decorative.

Adriana opened the door and ushered Milo inside.

“Mom,” she called, dropping her backpack in the entryway.

Milo noticed a mirror mounted on the left wall of the hall and, opposite it, a crucifix. He paused just inside the threshold, positioning himself so the crucifix was reflected clearly in the glass.

“I am who I appear to be,” he murmured. “This I swear before God.”

The atmosphere shifted, subtle but unmistakable, as the protections accepted him. Milo wondered if he had entered the home of a fellow spiritualist, or if this was simply tradition carried forward without full understanding. Either way, the magic was strong.

“Adriana, you’re a little late,” a petite, middle-aged woman said, peeking out from the kitchen.

She wore a floral apron, her salt-and-pepper hair pulled into a loose bun. Her face radiated kindness, but her eyes were sharp and observant.

“Hey, Mom. This is Milo. Milo, this is my mom, Elena Santana,” Adriana said, pulling him gently toward the kitchen.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Doña Elena,” Milo said with a respectful smile.

“Welcome to our home, Milo,” Elena replied, turning back to the stove where dinner simmered.

“Milo invited me to La Taza de Oro for a snack, and I met his two friends, Diego and Jose,” Adriana said as she grabbed a Malta from the fridge. “Milo, want one?”

“Just water for me, please,” Milo said softly. “Doña Elena, I noticed your plants out front. Did you plant them yourself?”

“Yes,” Elena replied with a small smile.

“It’s an unusual combination,” Milo said casually.

“Every house we live in, I plant the same things. It’s a family tradition,” Elena said, stirring the beans.

As she spoke, Milo began to see the faint outline of a spirit standing near her. As the vision sharpened, he recognized a Taíno shaman. The spirit smiled in greeting. Milo inclined his head slightly in acknowledgment.

“Doña Elena, would you happen to have Taíno ancestry?” Milo asked carefully.

“You’re very perceptive,” Elena said. “Yes. My ancestors were Taíno. I grew up with their stories and traditions. That is why I chose Jayuya when Andrew was stationed at Fort Buchanan. This land was once home to my people, and I wanted to reconnect with their spirit. Have you lived here all your life, Milo?”

“Yes, Doña Elena. My family has lived in Jayuya for generations. We have a farm near Cerro Puntas.”

“Then you may carry Taíno blood as well,” Elena said, covering the pot before coming to sit at the table.

“Yes. My great-grandmother was full-blood Taíno. My grandmother taught me our traditions,” Milo replied, watching her closely.

“Milo, may I be honest?” Elena said. “I watched you when you entered. No one has ever noticed the protections at the door, and you did. Not only that, you knew the correct response to place the house at ease. I felt the shift when the house accepted you. That alone would have made me take notice. But when Tigre de Sangre revealed himself to you, I knew you were something special.”

Milo glanced again at the shaman hovering just behind her left shoulder.

“Doña Elena,” Milo asked quietly, “am I truly welcome in your home?”

“Yes, Milo. You are welcome with all that you are and all that you carry,” Elena said warmly.

Old man, are you there? Milo sent the thought outward.

Milo, I am here, mi caballo, but I could not cross the threshold with you, Juan de Dios replied, concern threading his voice.

The house has protections. Doña Elena has lifted them. Come to me, Milo answered.

He felt Juan de Dios’s hand settle on his left shoulder.

“Milo,” Elena said gently, “I asked Adriana to seek you out. I needed to meet you myself. I wanted to know whether what I had heard was truth or rumor.”

“He’s the real deal, Mamá,” Adriana said, laughing. “You should’ve seen how his protection faced down a snobbish conquistador at La Taza de Oro.”

“You saw that?” Milo asked, startled.

Adriana nodded, smiling.

“Adriana is gifted,” Elena continued. “She comes from a long line of clairvoyants, like me. But she has something I do not. She is a trance medium, and she needs someone to teach her how to control it.” Elena leaned forward and took Milo’s hand. “Can you help my daughter?”

“Doña Elena—” Milo began, but she stopped him.

“I’ve asked around. You may not have much of a reputation among your classmates, but the people of this town revere you as one of the most competent espiritistas in Jayuya. If anyone can help my daughter, it is you. She needs to learn to control her gift before something—”

Elena stopped short.

Milo followed her gaze. The dark shadow he had seen before had returned. As it did, the shaman suddenly transformed into a massive tiger striped in red and black. With a powerful leap, it lunged at the shadow, which vanished once again.

“Dios todopoderoso nos proteja una vez más,” Elena whispered. May Almighty God protect us once again.

The atmosphere shifted. Milo felt a dome of power settle over the house.

Mi caballo… such power, Juan de Dios murmured. This woman is no ordinary believer. Her guide is of royal lineage.

“Doña Elena,” Milo asked softly, “who are you, truly?”

“My three-times great-grandfather was chief of the Taíno who lived in this valley,” Elena said. “My family descends from the royal line. Clairvoyance has passed from mother to daughter for generations, but Adriana is the first in two hundred years born with the gift of trance mediumship.”

Milo turned to Adriana.

“Doña Elena, I must be honest. I have seen the dark shadow that follows her,” Milo said.

“Yes,” Elena replied. “It has followed Adriana since she was a baby. It grows stronger as her quinceañera approaches. We hoped returning here would weaken it, but it has only grown bolder. Her birthday is in three months.”

“Do not worry,” Milo said calmly. “Negro Juanito and I will investigate further. Adriana and I will begin her training on Saturday. Eventually, we may need to go before the mediums of the Jayuya Centro, but first we will learn what we can about this shadow.”

Elena exhaled in relief. “Thank you, Milo. I knew you would be the one to help us. Please stay for dinner. It’s the least I can do.”

“I’d be happy to,” Milo said. “I just need to call my mom.”

As he stepped aside to make the call, Milo couldn’t help but wonder what he had just agreed to. He had the distinct feeling this would not be a simple path, and he hoped he was equal to what lay ahead.

As Milo walked home, he began to plan what he would teach Adriana on Saturday. As he walked, Juan de Dios appeared at his side and matched his pace.

Caballo, I am worried. This shadow is not ordinary. Training Adriana to enter trance might be very dangerous.

“Old man, I know. This must be handled delicately. I believe the farm has enough protections to keep the shadow at bay. But we will have to isolate Adriana’s principal guide if we are going to have any chance of developing her spiritual court in preparation for trance.”