Once Upon a Steamy Night
Chapter Twenty-three

Claire's panicked scream ceased when she realized she wasn't in the castle again or in the throne room or almost colliding with a huge monster. "Phew! That was close," she chuckled nervously trying to get a better look at her surroundings.

She was standing under the willow tree at the entrance of the realm.

Weird, she mused.

"Typical Claire. Runs at the first sight of trouble!"

Claire whirled around to see the green-eyed man coming towards her dressed in a long black hoodie making only his eyes visible.

It was pitch dark outside and she was getting creeped out by being alone here when she had no idea how she got here.

"Don't speak to me like that. You don't even know me!" She snapped.

The man's sinister laughter was carried off by the wind to her ears causing goosebumps to appear on her arms.

"I know that you're scared, Claire. You've always been scared, that's why you never made any friends in school before now."

"Shut up!" She snapped.

"You were scared that once you get noticed the bullying starts and you can't defend yourself," he continued taking slow steps towards her.

She backed away slowly from him. "Stop talking nonsense!"

"You are pathetic, Claire. Just like how scared you are that you had to date a hunter to stop him from killing you, but you will be sorely disappointed!"

"You don't know any of that so get out of my head!"

"Pathetic, weak, needy, and clingy Claire. I'm disappointed in you," he asked.

"Who are you?"

"I told you before, Claire. I'm your worst nightmare," he sneered.

"Claire, get out of the way!"

Claire heard the clear voice of Liam before she blinked, and everything faded. She was standing in the throne room and the monster was about to smash her with its long claws. "Immobilize!"

Claire rolled out of the way just as Aiobel said another spell that had the monster exploding.

"What is wrong with you, Claire? You could have died if I didn't do anything!"

Claire glared at Aiobel. "Well, you pushed me to my death!"

"What are you talking about when you were supposed to attack the monster instead you freeze!"

"A little warning would have helped!" Claire snapped.

"Monsters won't warn you when they attack. This is a pathetic attempt even for you savior!" Aiobel sneered.

"I'm. Not. Pathetic!"

When Claire opened her eyes, she was cackling with electricity on her body while Aiobel was thrown back, the rest of the crowd cowered in fear as they eyed her with surprise. A part of the throne room had suffered from severe lightning damage.

"Stop, Claire!" Her father shouted.

She wanted to stop but with the anger coursing through her it was difficult to do so, and the electricity was extending everywhere.

Claire watched wide-eyed as the lightning bolt shot through the ceiling towards a group of kids. Eerie screams filled the throne room as they all threw up magical shields to protect themselves from her uncontrollable magic. Suddenly she felt a touch on her neck.

"Liam, stay away or..." she trailed off when she felt serene peace and the energy dissipating from her body.

Liam placed a hand on her cheeks as he leaned his forehead on hers.

"You could have gotten hurt," she mumbled.

He shook his head. "Not possible. I'm the only one that can calm you down, remember."

She nodded as she assessed her surroundings and sighed. She was triggered by what Aiobel had said and then this happened.

"I'm so sorry, everyone," she whispered and backed out of the throne room, Liam trailing after her.

Her thoughts whirled around settling on what the green-eyed guy had said. Had she seen past the illusion spell she would have defeated the monster easily, but he had distracted her. "Princess, wait up!"

Claire sighed and waited for Liam to catch up with her.

"What happened there, Claire? You were before a huge monster and you froze."

She sighed running a hand through her hair. "I was in a trance or rather it was an illusion spell, and I just couldn't see past it."

"Who would want to make you hallucinate on the day you decide to kill a monster before your people prove yourself?" Liam asked confused.

Claire sighed as she remembered the green-eyed man. "It's an illusion spell. I don't know who he is, but he's been tormenting me before I discovered my powers." "Claire, wait up."

Claire whirled around anger and hurt flashing in her eyes. "I don't have time for this right now Adam!"

"How could you lose control over a comment when you froze before a monster?" Adam snapped.

"Not now, Adam," Liam hissed under his breath.

"Stay out of this, Liam!" Adam snapped.

"No, you stay out of this. I don't want to talk to you or anyone else. You guys don't understand what happened and Aiobel was so quick to judge me!"

Claire heard the rumbling of thunder in the sky and Liam squeezed her hands gently.

"Deep breath, princess," Liam whispered.

Adam massaged his temples and sighed. "I'm sorry, Claire. I just thought you were ready to face anything. You've been training all these while."

"I was ready, but an illusion spell happened," Claire mumbled, "I thought I had disappeared from the castle without knowing I was in the castle, it was the green-eyed man."

Adam frowned. "How could he torment you when we're not in the human realm again?" Adam asked, surprised.

Claire shrugged. "I don't know. Figure it out."

Claire stormed off with Liam trailing behind her. She got to her training garden and saw a young guy with curly brown hair and glowing yellow eyes. She should be used to their weird eye color by now, but it was still fascinating and creepy. "How may I help you?" she asked.

"I think it's you that needs my help," he replied smugly.

"My girlfriend and I need some privacy so scram!" Liam snapped.

Claire would have laughed at his jealousy if she was in a good mood, but she wasn't, and yellow eyes beat her to it.

"What's so funny?" Liam asked with a frown.

"Sorry, mortal but saving the world and pleasure don't mix," yellow eyes replied.

Claire sighed when she noticed Liam's enraged look when he called him a mortal. "Not right now, Liam. Just let him be."

But the warning came a little late as Liam's green eyes had turned a shade darker and he had tackled the guy to the ground. "Immobilize!" the guy chanted.

Claire sighed when yellow eyes realized his magic wasn't working on Liam.

"W-what are you?" he stuttered.

"Your doom!" Liam sneered his hands, crushing yellow eyes with a windpipe. "Liam, stop!" she cried.

He pulled away as the guardian crumbled weakly to the ground.

"Hunter!" he mumbled.

Claire felt goosebumps crawl up her arms as she realized how dangerous and terrifying Liam was to the faeries. A powerful faerie had been reduced to nothing before him, but she was yet to know just how powerful Liam was.

***

Adam saw the fear in Morgana's eyes the moment he entered the prophecy room filled with scrolls. He frowned when he came closer to her and saw the scroll in her hands.

"What is this, mother?" he inquired.

"A prophecy was given centuries ago, Adam. I fear that the prophecy is coming to pass," Morgana replied. Adam took the scroll from her and glanced at it. The first line caught his attention, so he kept reading. The time draws nigh

It shall come so sudden like the breaking of dawn at nighttime

Nature to be doomed

Destroyed by love Loss of humanity

A savior turn villain

Chaos and despair Darkness shall arise

Beware for as slippery as an eel

Tainted with darkness.

Adam's frown deepened. "I don't understand a word of this, Morgana. It has nothing to do with Claire."

Morgana's hands trembled slightly as she returned the scroll. "Indeed, Adam. I hope so."

Adam watched her leave the room and he headed back to the training ground to see how Claire was faring. He didn't expect to see Ryan crumble on the floor, exhausted. "Wow, didn't take long for Claire to whoop your ass!" He exclaimed, chuckling.

But the words he heard from Ryan had his blood boiling.

***

Claire groaned when her father appeared in front of Liam and threw him against the sycamore tree, anger flaring from his nostrils.

"How could you? The cloaking spell was in vain then because you're still a threat to them!" He roared.

"It was a mistake, dad," Claire intervened sharply.

"I'm disappointed in you, Claire!" Adam snapped. He helped the guy to his feet and walked away from them.

Claire sighed running a hand through her silver hair. She hadn't expected her first day in the faerie realm to go from one disaster to another.

She had thought that coming here will make her feel welcome and discover more about herself, but she had ended up hurting someone and leaving Liam to scare someone else too. "I'm sorry, Claire. I don't know what came over me."

Liam's voice snapped her out of her reverie, and she smiled at him.

"I get that you're upset but you shouldn't lash out on the faeries like that else you'll be unleashing war even before the monsters from the veil are released."

Liam nodded. "I just hated the fact of another guy being close to you and he had called me a mortal. I wanted to show him that I had powers and that I deserve you."

"Shh," Claire placed a finger on his lips, "I understand what you're saying. But you don't have to prove anything to me."

"Aside from acting like a human, I guess."

They whirled around as Scot joined them in the garden.

"You almost blew your cover, Liam," Scot said.

Liam rolled his eyes. "Not you too."

Scot shrugged. "I'm being honest."

Liam sighed. "I'm just going to my room to cool off, princess. I'll be back later."

Claire tried to stop him from leaving but Scot shook his head and she watched him leave.

"Let him be. It's time you focus on your destiny, Claire. If these monsters keep attacking the faeries, one monster is enough to destroy the earth."

Claire nodded. "The problem is I hurt all my trainers, so who's gonna train me?"

"There are a lot of guardians here, Claire," Morgana chuckled, appearing in the garden.

"Don't tell me you're going to train me," Claire sighed.

Morgana chuckled. "Oh no. There's a place that was prepared for you to face your problems. I know you're having some issues but maybe this is the best solution you can get." Claire frowned. "What solution?"

"It's training also. If you're able to complete the test only then will you get your code word and come back to reality," Morgana explained.

Claire's brow furrowed in concentration as she tried to think of the harm in the game.

"There's no harm in it," Morgana's soft voice filtered in her mind.

Claire glared at her. "Get out of my head!"

Morgana rolled her eyes. "Are you ready?"

Claire sighed and Scot gave her a small smile. "Fine, let's do your game."

Claire followed Morgana into a large room with a single-window and a chair. It looked suspiciously like a classroom and there was a tiny box on the table.

Claire took a deep breath and gave Morgana a small nod.

"I'm ready."

"Insipious selpas virgiorm!"

Claire felt herself being sucked into darkness as she closed her eyes. A strangled scream escaped her throat when she finally lost consciousness as Morgana's words filtered through her ears fading in the distance. "You won't remember anything about this till you've completed the test!"

When Claire opened her eyes and took in her surroundings she chuckled. This wasn't what she was expecting when her father had sent her on a vacation.

Adam had brought her to a freaking New Orleans!

But wait...she was supposed to prove that she can handle her powers in a city like this and find her mother, make peace with Liam, and return home. How hard could that be?

Except...

"Well, hello."