Chapter 4

A/N: Once again, I may get stuff wrong. I'm going entirely by memory here. Sorry, y'all! Trying my best! At least I'm posting more often! The only advantage to Covid-19. On with the story!

Once in the tunnel, they get into a defensive formation. Mal leading the way, Carlos and Jay behind her and to the sides. Evie standing between the boys. Hadley took up the rear. Keeping a small knife in hand. A gift from Uma the year prior after helping out with a prank against Mal. Breaking into the Core Four's clubhouse and painting over Mal's art. As they walk, pink fur dashes about behind them. Keeping Jay and Hadley on their toes. "So how do we know when we reached the first trial?" Hadley asks, glancing behind her as she senses movement.

A few feet further, they hear a roar behind them. A large shadow approaching them from behind. "Run!" Jay calls out as he spots a turnoff coming up in the tunnels. "There!" he adds as he points out the turnoff. The group ran down the tunnel. It suddenly opens up into a grassy field. A single large tree filled with shiny, red apples sat in the center. The group tries to climb up onto the lowest branch. Only Evie succeeding. Mal, Jay, Carlos, and Hadley being forced back by an invisible force field.

"Why can't you guys join me?" Evie asks as she stands up on the branch. Holding the next one for balance.

"This is your trial. We can't help you," Mal says as Hadley moves to the front of the tunnel to stand guard. Knife in hand.

"Whatever was chasing us is gone," Hadley reports as she looks into the tunnel. Eyes glowing in the dark. "Maybe nothing was there. We were just being jumpy."

"Keep standing guard. You'd be the first to see someone coming," Mal orders before sitting down at the base of the tree. Carlos plopping down next to her as Jay moves to stand across from Hadley. Leaning against the tan stone wall.

"Where did you get that knife? Thought all our weapons had been confiscated," Jay asks as he glances at the rough looking hunter knife. The antler bone handle fitting perfectly in the princess of the Underworld's pale hand.

"Left it here. Hadie slipped it into my pocket. It's a good blade. The kid kept it sharp," Hadley shrugs as she runs her finger along the spine of her blade. Finding comfort in the feeling. "It's a good thing Hadie returned it. With us being followed and all."

"Where'd you get it? It's not Greek so Hades wouldn't have it," Jay asks as he glances up at the tree seeing Evie passed out on one of the highest branches. "Hold that…" the son of Jafar says before running over to the tree. Prepared to catch Evie if she falls.

"It's best if I don't tell," Hadley whispers as she puts the knife in her blue combat boot. Despite trusting them, she knows that she is not a full member of the group. Never was. Before Auradon, she was a thief for hire. Something that the others haven't forgotten. And if they found out that Hadley used to work with Uma, all trust would be lost. She wasn't willing to lose the relationships she just built. As she was thinking over her dilemma, the rest of the crew met her at the entrance of the field. Evie now having a shiny red apple.

"Let's go. One down, four more to go," Mal says heading down the path. Expecting the others to just follow instantly. "Hadley stick to the back. Let us know if we're being followed."

"You got it Mal!" Hadley answers as she gives Mal a little salute, which results in an eye roll from her older sister. "You like the salute! Admit it," she teases as Mal ignores the comment. "Tough crowd," Hadley scoffs.

As they continued to walk, a flash of pink fur would occasionally dash by behind them. A growl echoing off the walls until they reach a version of an abandoned version of London. A large, broken down DeVil Fashion Industries standing in the middle of the city. Towering over everything above them. Carlos gulps as they reach the entrance of the building. He presses on the door and walks inside. No one else being able to follow him. The others all sit down to wait for the white-haired boy.

"So… knife. Where'd you get it?" Jay asks as he sits down next to Hadley. Pointing to the handle sticking out of her boot.

"Payment from a job," Hadley says simply as she closes her eyes. Trying to rest while she has the chance. They have no clue as to what lies ahead. Resting while they can just make sense.

"Who was it for? Facilier? Hans? Didn't Hans try to get you in an arranged marriage with his son… what was his name?" Jay questions. Chuckling when he remembered the almost engagement to a boy three years older than her.

The older teen groans and opens back up her emerald eyes. "Henry. A passive aggressive little dick," she scoffs crossing her arms. Her father almost agreed to it. Persephone convinced Hades to not go through with selling off his heir as a trophy wife.

"Got a mouth on you, Elyse is fine with that?" Jay asks, a little shocked that the youngest of the crew cursed. Out of all of them, Hadley dealt with royals the most and spent more time in council meetings.

"The only family member of her's that hasn't heard me curse is her brother. As long as it isn't in front of the council, I'm fine. Not doing it in front of the Olympians. They're… very old fashioned," Hadley chuckles as she rubs the back of her neck.

"Still mad at you about the whole gay thing?" Mal asks. Ever since Elyse and Hadley went public, all but three Olympians went against Hadley. Artemis, Apollo, and Aphrodite.

"Hera thinks my dad broke me. Tried to set me up with some bloke from Greece," Hadley groans as she closes her eyes again. Her relationship with Hera had been nonexistent after Hera removed the possibility of Hadley ever getting to speak to her father. The goddess still tried to connect with the teen. Trying to get t know her niece.

Carlos walks out of the building with a shiver. Ring in hand. "Just Jay, Mal, and Hadley left," he says as the others all get up to continue moving through the tunnel. "I almost got eaten by a coat," Carlos mutters as Hadley falls into step next to him.

"Poor pup," Hadley teases as she ruffles his hair. A few minutes later, she heard something behind them. "Run!" the demi-goddess calls out as she pushes Carlos ahead of her. The boy stumbles and is quickly picked up by Jay. "I'll hold it back! I'll catch up!" she adds before turning around and takes her knife out of her boot. Getting into a defensive position. Left foot forward with her knife in her left hand. None of the others questioned the order from Hadley. Just ran down a branch in the tunnel that the one left behind did not see. Once Hadley lost sight of the others, the beast following them seemed to disappear. "Guys?" she calls out as she turns around and sees a fork in the tunnel.

"Hadley! Over here!" Mal calls out from the tunnel that the others ignored. The mimic tricking Hadley into following its voice. Deep into the tunnel, into pure darkness.