Chapter 20: Mischievous Prince

**Chapter 20:The Return of the Mischievous Prince**

The sun had barely set when the golden orb they retrieved from the Laughing Ruins began to glow. Alina, who had been poking at it idly while considering a nap, yelped and dropped it as a bright light exploded from within. A swirling gust of wind enveloped them, and before anyone could react, a tall figure emerged from the golden mist.

Zephyr, ever the dramatic one, gasped. "Oh no, not him again."

The figure stepped forward, shaking his head with a smirk. His long, silver hair shimmered under the moonlight, and his piercing blue eyes held a familiar mischievous glint. Prince Lysander of the Celestial Court had returned.

"Miss me?" Lysander asked, flashing his trademark roguish grin.

Alina groaned. "Of all the things that could've been inside that orb, *why* did it have to be you?"

Lysander clutched his chest in mock pain. "Ouch, my heart. I thought we had something special, Alina."

Rowan crossed his arms. "The only thing special about you is your ability to annoy people within seconds of arriving."

Felix leaned over to Nixie. "Who *is* this guy?"

Nixie whispered back, "A chaos magnet."

---

### **A Royal Problem**

Lysander adjusted his ornate silver-trimmed coat and grinned at Alina. "I see you're still as charming as ever."

"And I see you're still as infuriating as ever," Alina shot back. "Why are you here?"

"Long story short, I got *trapped* inside that blasted orb centuries ago, thanks to a minor misunderstanding with a particularly grumpy sorcerer," Lysander explained, waving a dismissive hand. "And now that you wonderful people have freed me, I can finally stretch my legs again!"

Zephyr clapped his hands together. "Well, that's great and all, but does this mean you're going to cause trouble for us again?"

"Oh, *definitely*," Lysander said with a smirk.

Cassian sighed. "At least he's honest."

---

### **A Most Unwelcome Invitation**

Before they could decide whether to throw Lysander back into the orb, a group of royal guards in shimmering silver armor materialized in front of them. Their leader, a stern-looking woman with braided blonde hair, stepped forward and bowed.

"Prince Lysander, by order of the Celestial Court, you are to return to the palace immediately."

Lysander groaned. "Ugh, already? Can't a prince have a little fun before getting dragged back into royal duties?"

The guard didn't flinch. "Your presence is required. Urgently."

Felix snickered. "You sound *so* important."

Lysander shot him a grin. "I *am* important."

Alina pinched the bridge of her nose. "I don't have the patience for this. Just go with them and stop causing problems."

Lysander pouted. "But I just got here! Don't tell me you don't want to see more of me, Alina."

Alina rolled her eyes. "I don't."

Lysander grinned. "You wound me."

Zephyr nudged Rowan. "Is it just me, or does it seem like he *likes* being insulted by her?"

Rowan groaned. "It's not just you."

---

### **An Unexpected Twist**

Just as the guards were about to escort Lysander away, the golden orb on the ground pulsed again. The air shimmered, and suddenly a small scroll materialized in Alina's hands. She frowned as she unrolled it.

"Oh no," she muttered.

Zephyr peered over her shoulder. "What does it say?"

Alina sighed. "Apparently, by breaking the seal on the orb, *we* are now bound by an ancient contract. We *have* to escort Lysander back to the Celestial Court."

The group stared at her in stunned silence.

Lysander beamed. "Well, isn't this delightful! Looks like we'll be spending *so* much more time together."

Alina groaned. "I hate everything about this."

Felix clapped his hands. "Road trip!"

Rowan muttered, "This is going to be a disaster."

Cassian simply pinched the bridge of his nose. "I already have a headache."

Zephyr grinned. "Well, at least it won't be boring."

Lysander winked at Alina. "I promise, darling, by the time this journey is over, you'll love having me around."

Alina deadpanned. "Doubtful."

As the group reluctantly prepared for their unexpected detour to the Celestial Court, one thing was certain—this was about to be *one* entertaining journey.

**Chaos, Competition, and New Love Rivals**

The journey to the Celestial Court had barely begun, yet Alina already regretted every decision that led her to this moment. Between Lysander's insufferable flirting and Zephyr's amused smirks, she was ready to hurl herself into the nearest black hole. Unfortunately, fate had other plans.

As their group trudged through the moonlit forest, a sudden gust of wind rustled the trees. A voice, smooth as silk yet laced with amusement, echoed through the clearing.

"Well, well, if it isn't my dear, troublesome cousin."

Lysander groaned audibly. "Oh no. Not *you.*"

From the shadows emerged a striking figure—tall, dark-haired, and exuding an aura of smug confidence. His deep crimson cloak billowed as he stepped forward, piercing golden eyes locking onto Alina with intense curiosity.

"Prince Kieran of the Vermillion Moon Court, at your service," he said smoothly, taking Alina's hand and brushing his lips over her knuckles. "And you, my dear, must be the reason Lysander looks *so* disgruntled."

Lysander shoved Kieran aside. "She's *mine.*"

Alina jerked her hand back. "Excuse me?! I am *nobody's* anything."

Kieran smirked. "Oh, I *like* her."

Zephyr chuckled. "This just got interesting."

---

### **Unexpected Interference**

Before Alina could decide whether to set Kieran on fire or simply walk away, another voice cut in.

"I hope I'm not too late to join this little reunion."

A tall, elegantly dressed man with silver-blue hair and an air of regal nonchalance strode into the clearing. His violet eyes held an amused gleam as he assessed the group.

"Lord Adrien of the Starlight Dominion," he introduced himself with a graceful bow. "And I must say, I expected Lysander to be causing trouble, but I didn't expect to find someone as enchanting as *you* along the way."

Alina groaned. "Oh, *come on.*"

Felix whispered to Nixie, "Are we collecting flirtatious princes now?"

Nixie snorted. "Looks like it."

Lysander crossed his arms. "This is getting ridiculous. Alina, we need to go. *Now.*"

Adrien smirked. "Afraid of a little competition, cousin?"

Kieran draped an arm over Alina's shoulder, causing her to stiffen. "Indeed. Let the lady decide for herself."

Zephyr grinned. "This is the best entertainment I've had in ages."

Alina, rubbing her temples, took a deep breath. "Alright, *enough.* We're on a mission. If you two insist on tagging along, then shut up, stop flirting, and don't cause trouble."

Kieran chuckled. "No promises."

Adrien winked. "I shall do my best to behave."

Lysander scowled. "I hate this."

Cassian sighed. "So do we all."

With two new—and very irritating—companions, the journey to the Celestial Court had just gotten far more complicated. Alina wasn't sure whether to be amused, exasperated, or worried for her sanity. One thing was certain, though—things were about to get *very* interesting.

** The Trials of the Enchanted Labyrinth**

With the group now larger—and significantly more chaotic—Alina found herself leading a rather bizarre entourage through the winding paths of the Celestial Forest. Between Lysander's constant grumbling about his new rivals, Kieran's infuriating smirks, and Adrien's polite yet insufferable charm, she was beginning to suspect the universe was punishing her for past misdeeds.

"Remind me again," Alina sighed, rubbing her temples, "why are *all* of you coming with me?"

Zephyr grinned. "Because it's fun watching you suffer."

Before Alina could threaten to set him on fire, the ground beneath them trembled, and a swirling mist rose from the earth. An ancient stone archway materialized in their path, covered in glowing runes.

Cassian narrowed his eyes. "This… isn't normal."

A deep, echoing voice boomed through the air. "Only those worthy may pass the Trials of the Enchanted Labyrinth!" The runes on the arch pulsed, and suddenly, the entrance sucked them inside with a whoosh.

---

### **Welcome to the Labyrinth of Madness**

When the world stopped spinning, Alina found herself in a vast maze of shifting stone walls. The air shimmered with magic, and the only way forward was through the towering passages that seemed to change at random.

Felix groaned. "I hate magic mazes."

Nixie nudged him. "At least it's not trying to eat us. Yet."

Lysander dusted off his coat. "I suggest we move quickly before the walls decide to crush us."

Almost on cue, the walls behind them began closing in.

Alina threw her hands up. "Of *course* they are."

---

### **Teamwork (or the Lack Thereof)**

The group sprinted through the twisting corridors, dodging magical traps along the way. Zephyr nearly fell into a pit of glowing green goo, while Felix got stuck in a wall that decided to turn into jelly.

"Help," Felix deadpanned as he sank deeper.

Kieran, smirking, yanked him free. "This is quite entertaining."

Lysander scoffed. "If you find near-death experiences entertaining, you need a hobby."

Suddenly, the floor beneath them glowed with an intricate rune pattern.

Adrien sighed. "That's never a good sign."

The ground disappeared beneath their feet, and they plummeted into darkness.

---

### **The Room of Ridiculous Riddles**

Instead of landing painfully, they found themselves standing in an eerie chamber with a floating, grinning mask.

"To pass," the mask intoned, "you must answer my riddles!"

Alina groaned. "I hate riddles."

The mask cackled. "Then this will be fun! First riddle: What has keys but opens no locks?"

Cassian answered immediately. "A piano."

The mask twirled. "Correct! But can you solve the next one?"

The trials continued with increasingly ridiculous riddles. By the time they solved the last one, everyone was thoroughly annoyed, and Alina was considering whether setting the mask on fire would break the rules.

With a burst of light, the labyrinth shifted, revealing the exit.

---

### **Freedom at Last…?**

As they stepped through the final archway, the mist dissipated, and they found themselves standing in front of an enormous, gleaming palace. The Celestial Court loomed ahead, their journey finally reaching its next phase.

Zephyr grinned. "Well, that was fun."

Alina glared. "*You* define 'fun' differently than I do."

Lysander dusted himself off. "Shall we?"

Kieran smirked. "After you, my dear."

Adrien chuckled. "I suspect this adventure is far from over."

Alina sighed. "I *know* it's far from over."

With reluctant determination, she led them forward, bracing herself for whatever nonsense awaited them inside the Celestial Court.