#scarsdale

"Zara...." Hannah fusses "You? You are ok?"

She rubs the back of her neck. "I thought if I just... left... if.. if things went bad, then you'd notice..." A shake of her head. "I'm fine. Managed to sneak past any fights."

Hannah frowns. "If... what? I would notice if you were missing?" Gearing up "Zara Esther Schwartz......"

"If I made an excuse, like.. like said I was going on quest, or... or visiting... or..."

"Or what???"

"Or any excuse, I guess. Then it might be a week or more until anybody thought something was wrong..."

She rubs at her face. "If it went okay, I'd just be in trouble. And I get it, if I'm grounded. Or anything."

Hannah huffs, put out and upset. "Zara... I expected better from you."

"Aaron and I will have to talk about this."

Zara rounds her shoulders, nodding.

"She was hurting him."

"Who?" reluctant

She swallows and looks over at Ratchet.

"A Balor."

"A.... what?"

"Balor are a house. Like Dougal at the Hollow."

"Oh. Well, yes. And?"

"Ratchet, you said you told her..."

"I did!"The nocker protests, and the mortal... her mama says... "He did. I know I won't remember everything but.... I want you to tell me. For now."

She squirms, uncomfortable about dragging this out twice in one night.

"Miriam's... the one who... to Miriam. He found me on my birthday, nu? You know this."

Hannah nods slowly

"He is a Balor. A sidhe." Her breath catches. "Glorious."

"He has other children. Many, from many mothers."

Hannah's face drains of blood.

"Mama?"

"So ... this .... person. He ... and Miriam. So.... Do you want to...?"

Softly. "Miriam might not have.... wanted... he... he's not a very nice person, Mama."

She looks away, busies herself.... shoos Ratchet away without a demonstration and draws Zara into another room....

She follows, uncertain.

"Was it rape?" She asks quietly.

"I don't know." She grimaces. "Miriam says she doesn't remember. And Samhain, you might not. Or maybe she doesn't want to. But... but sidhe, they have magic that can make you want... do what you wouldn't, but just.. just do what they wish, aye?"

She chafes her upper arms. "From what I've found, he... he has done that, to others. And when Miriam was... taken... when she was missing, she was... then, aye. We rescued her from a brothel."

"All the prisoners. F-forced. Sold."

"Oy...." soft.

"I'm... Mama, I'm... " Her grey lips twitch, and she's looking anywhere BUT Hannah. "What he does. Did. He... made children, to be tools for him. Planted seeds. That's what I am."

"Wh-why he.. "

"You." Hannah says firmly. "Are mine. My daughter. Verschtay?"

She nods, eyes down.

"So?"

"So... so I've been trying to avoid him. Once I found out who, what he was."

"I scryed once, to see his face. But I won't risk that again."

"Zara." Serious. "You must take care of yourself. Yes? We.... nevermind. Yes?"

"I have been.... avoiding, trying to lay low. I had some help to keep magic away, but it wore off."

"But.. ah... one of the others. The oldest daughter. She... she found me. And she's the one that took Earl."

"And I went t-to rescue him."

"Earl. He's a good boychick. So. This... person. Took Earl?"

She nods. "She said she'd free him, in trade."

"In trade... for what?" She asks carefully.

"....me."