The group trudged along the winding path outside Auradon, the crisp evening air filled with the sound of crickets and their uneven footsteps. The journey had been anything but smooth.

"Maddy!" Melody groaned, turning to spot the eccentric girl wandering off yet again.

"Madelineeeeeeeee" she corrected, popping out from behind a tree with a grin that was as unnerving as it was playful.

"Whatever," Melody muttered, clearly reaching the limits of her patience. "Do you mind not disappearing every two minutes? We're kind of on a mission here!"

Madeline tilted her head and stared blankly ahead. "Yeesh, bossy much?" She looked forward like she was talking to someone unseen to the others.

Celia groaned, rubbing her temples. "This girl is something else."

"I don't think she's crazy," Herkie chimed in, ever the optimist. "I think she's just... fun."

Melody raised a skeptical brow. "Fun isn't what we need right now. We're trying to save Squeaky and Squirmy, remember?"

Chloe, who had been unusually quiet for most of the journey, suddenly picked up the pace, her steps quicker and more purposeful than the rest of the group.

"Chloe, where are you going?" Celia called out.

"Just scouting ahead," Chloe replied without looking back, her voice light but evasive.

Celia narrowed her eyes. Something about Chloe's behavior felt off. She exchanged a glance with Herkie, who simply shrugged, seemingly oblivious to the tension.

As the group continued, the forest around them grew darker, the trees casting eerie shadows in the fading light. Madeline twirled ahead of them, humming a strange tune that only added to the unsettling atmosphere.

"So, Red," Herkie began, breaking the silence. "She's always been fiery, but doesn't this feel... different?"

"Different?" Melody echoed, her voice tight. "Try unhinged. She's starting to act just like her mother. What's next? Building a hedge maze and tossing people into it?"

"Don't give her ideas," Zevon muttered, speaking up for the first time since they left.

Celia sighed. "Whatever her reasons are, we'll deal with her. I'm not handing over the crystal ball, and that's final."

Ahead, Chloe paused, her hand brushing against the bark of a tree. Her face was a mixture of emotions—hesitation, frustration, and something darker. She clenched her fists, glancing back at the group.

"Guys," she said, her voice trembling slightly. "Do you ever think about how we all ended up here? Like... on this path?"

Madeline giggled. "Well, I walked, silly."

Chloe ignored her, her gaze fixed on the ground. "I just... I miss how things used to be. Back when we didn't have to deal with all this drama."

"Welcome to Auradon," Celia said flatly. "Drama's part of the package."

"No, I mean..." Chloe trailed off, her expression unreadable. "Never mind."

The group exchanged puzzled looks but said nothing, the weight of Chloe's words lingering in the air.

As they pressed on, Chloe's steps became lighter, her posture more relaxed—as if she knew something the others didn't. Her mind raced with thoughts of Red, their friendship, and the choices she'd made to get here. Deep down, she hoped she could justify what she was about to do.

Red's voice echoed in her mind: "You know what you have to do. Bring them to me, Chloe. We'll fix everything together—like old times."

Chloe tightened her grip on the strap of her bag, her determination hardening.

The group had no idea the betrayal that was brewing in their midst.