Chapter 52 - Aftermath

 "Oh God, you're OK," Mariah gasped.

"I'm OK," Miranda assured her. "Really, I'm OK."

"I was so worried about you!" Mariah said. "Don't do that to me again!"

"Deal," Miranda laughed.

"So, you're here?" Mariah asked.

"I wanted to see you," Miranda said, "So, I popped over. I'm pretty sure Gwen's doing the clairvoyant thing and keeping an eye on me. The first few days, she had to convince Mom to even let me out of her line of sight."

"Yeah, this magic thing is totally cheating," Mariah laughed, "but I'll take it. You hungry? Danielle's making tacos."

"I could eat," Miranda smiled.

"... so we still don't know who was really behind it," Miranda concluded, after filling Mariah, Danielle and Londyn in on as many of the details as she felt comfortable sharing. "You've probably seen the press has finally gotten a hold of the story. Mom says we're supposed to be all 'no comment' and they're making up their own answers. My favorite is that it was a revenge thing by the Landgraab's cartel. Might even be truth... I don't know."

"We're just glad you're alright," Danielle said.

"What happened to that little blonde putana, Claudette?" Mariah snarled. 

"Mariah, language!" Londyn interjected.

"She was a witch," Miranda said, "so Gwen said she needed to face witch justice..."

"We took her before the Sages - the leaders of the Magic Realm," she continued. "It was a kind of trial. They listened to our testimony and everything..."

"There wasn't really any question of guilt... Claudette admitted to everything."

"So, they stripped her of her magical and exiled her from the Magic Realm," Miranda said. "Gwen says it's the highest punishment they can inflict."

"After that, Gwen took her to the Moonwood Collective." she continued. "I guess she'd talked to Kristopher, and he agreed to oversee Claudette's rehabilitation... and to protect her from her father. It's not exactly prison but it kind of is."

"You forgave her, didn't you," Mariah asked later.

"No," Miranda said. "I just feel bad for her. Her dad twisted her up inside since she was a kid... trained her and used her... He really messed her up."

"Yeah," Mariah said softly, "I get that... but..."

"Yeah. 'But,'" Miranda sighed. "I can't forgive her for what she did. Not yet. Maybe not ever. Still, I'm glad she's at least free from him. I think.. I hope... Kristopher and Lily can help her get her life sorted out."

"So, what now?" Mariah asked.

"Well," Miranda said, "I've got school work to catch up on. Kidnapped by mobsters and I still have to deal with school!" 

"Unfair!"

"I know, right," Miranda laughed, "So... this magic thing is kinda like cheating... but it's cheaper than airfare. So maybe, when I can get away, we can... hang out."

"Yeah," Mariah smiled. "I'd like that."