The old woman goes on.

“For as long as de moon watches over de land, my people, de Huraii people, have used voodoo magic to protect this island, honoring our ancestors with new life. Dey is de skeletons you see on guarding de island against invaders.

“Strong with the voodoo, de great mother Mwesha, whose power tamed de volcano on this island, many years ago she had herself three daughters, three priestesses, Nustra, Lattay, and Rihanna.”

The woman stops when she says Rihanna, her stick pointing to the corpse of the voodoo priestess on the ground nearby. Then she returns her intense gaze to me, never blinking as she recounts her tale.

“When de Great Mother Mwesha died, it fell to the daughters to lead our people. Instead of fighting for rule, dey all three united. For the first time, der were three Great Mothers.

“But dey became bored, and when de opportunity arrived, dey broke the tradition of our people and made a deal with a handsome pirate named Ballard Fontaine. A devil of a man and dey made a pact with that devil to hide and protect de evil things he stole and hide dem on this very island.

“Among the Huraii people, women are free to lay with any man, or any woman either. Nustra, Lattay, and Rihanna, dey all lay with Ballard Fontaine. He thinks he is a big man. Within a year, his storehouse has become a secret outpost for many pirates and traders.

“Then, after one of his voyages, Ballard returns with a new slave, a girl of great beauty and magic. With dis slave, he no longer wants to lay with dee priestesses. He only has eyes for this slave’s beauty. And he is not alone in that on de island, for she is very exotic.

“Always jealous, Nustra goes into a rage. She lures de slave away, and de three sisters cast a curse upon her, a curse that anyone who would desire dis slave would have their blood turn black and their mind go to madness so that Ballard Fontaine would find his end from the very t’ing he treasured most.

“But dese powerful curses have a way of coming back, don’t you mistake. It was not only Ballard who desired this slave. It was not only his crew either. It was many Huraii. Many here, whose minds became sick and twisted.

“I don’t know who killed who first, but when de fighting started, it was like de whole island had gone mad.

“My people, those yet unaffected, were forced to flee. They had no choice but to seal dis place with their magic and take the ships, trapping Ballard Fontaine’s men and their slaves on the island, leaving them to die.

“For de Huraii who went insane, we took many with us. Dey live now shackled in de slave gallows of those ships.

“De Huraii have been watching the island ever since, awaiting the day when someone would defeat the priestesses to break de curse. Once each month dey sail here, waiting for a signal that de island is safe.

“But for me, I have not given up. I stay to maintain the spell to keep the priestesses here, to keep them from being able to leave the island, so that they can be punished for what they have done.

“The curse upon the slave, it has grown stronger, much stronger than de original spell. She is still here. De priestesses hold her as a hostage, and she slowly drives dem mad as dey have nothing left but her to desire.

“But I have waited for the right traveler to be given one final task. Defeat de priestesses and destroy de slave. End dis curse for our people.”

"What happened to Ballard Fontaine?" I ask.

"He met de only fate worse than death. You will see."

“You’re insanely brave to stay here by yourself,” I say, and she laughs. “Who are you?”

“I am Mitralla the Gray-Hair, Great Mother Mwesha’s sister by a different father. I am de Great Mother now.

“And yes, you are de man who will help me. I have seen you. I have seen your lust. You will hear de slave, and then you will follow her voice. You will find her, and you will kill her. You will kill her for me, and you will bring her back to me. I will bind her spirit to me, and my people will be free of their curse.

"Yes, you will kill her for me, and I will give you anything you desire.“