Cati laughs once. "Ha. Hurt us. They want to make us like them. All pure and good and nauseatingly perfect."

"They want to prove that evil isn't in the blood." Ashwin's voice is assured, but they can hear the tears in it.

He wants to be pure and good

That means they have to hurt him

It won't work it can't work evil is in him

"How?"

Ashwin is silent, returning his gaze to the window.

"I wouldn't worry your head, pretty thing. They won't find anything evil in you." Cati says gently to Lius."

Why did she call him that? (his father said to be watchful of women, but he thinks that is something his father is wrong about.) 

...he's not gone out much but he lived on the Isle, and he's seen some tv, and he remembers associations with calling someone that. Does she - does she want to hurt him like that? Surely Auradon wouldn't allow that? Even to villain children, not if they took them off the Isle...

He curls in on himself a little. "They already know."

“That we’re rotten to the core? Definitely. Up to them to decide whether we’re worth this little experiment.”

He doesn't understand how that makes sense with the other thing she said...

He hugs himself again. (He's not worth anything, he knows that.)

"Would be great if they were more specific about what they wanted." 

“You can be rotten without being evil. Ashwin proves it on a daily basis,” Cati says, earning a glare from the boy in question. She’s trying to placate the nervous Lius, but finds herself woefully underprepared. 

“Wouldn’t it just? I guess they don’t think we need to know that yet.”

He thinks she's making a joke. He smiles a little. (They're friends, he thinks (her and Ashwin). It's nice that that's something that exists.)

"Oh, maybe they'll run an orientation when we get there; sounds fun.

The real meaning of 'experience life away from the Isle, and get to know their neighbors across the sea' and all that."

“Mmm, yes. Dangle the fresh meat in front of the ravenous crowd. Let’s see if we come out alive.”

(Well if that's something they get up to in Auradon she'll sure have a lot of work to do.)

She laughs a little.

(If anyone tries to murder Greta they will have to go through her first. And also they won't make it through her. So there.

She may not be currently very good at disguising her facial expression.)

Shiver. (He doesn't want to die. This is bad, because he's evil, and also cowardly because when he dies he will face god and god's judgement and it's wrong to not accept that. 

He still doesn't want to die.)

“Look at those serious faces. Don’t worry. I’ll protect you.” 

This is said with an air of easy confidence. 

Lius may feel curious eyes on him, while Ashwin looks sadly at someone he might have been. 

(Oh worry is not at all what she's feeling.)

She is also not worried. Whatever happens she will serve Greta and that's what's important. 

If she was evil, he should tell her he doesn't want her protection, lest he be accepting protection from evil. But he doesn't have reason to think she is evil, and to offer protection is beneficent and giving. 

"Thank you."

He does feel the eyes. He doesn't know what to do from that.

“You’re welcome, dear one.”

Greenery begins unfurling around them, and it’s clear they’ve made it into Auradon. 

(Why did she call him that? Will she want him to, to buy protection? He won't do that, he is evil and a coward but he won't...)

This is exciting!