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“Maybe we could trade him for Augustus. I’m sure the Emperor would want him back.” Hunter isn’t sure more terrifying words could be spoken by the Emperor himself. Instantly, his mind is full of escape routes, ways he can avoid that scenario. What the Emperor would do to him if he was turned over is too awful for a kind mind like Hunter’s to dream up, but he knows it would be awful.
“No, wait, please, I’m not lying!” Hunter doesn’t know how to lie, even. He always gets himself caught, he’s no good at it. If only this were more public knowledge. “I’m not with them!” He can see it in their eyes, they don’t believe him. “Willow! Please, you know I’m not with them!”
“Yeah!” Willow agrees, getting between him and her teachers. “He wouldn’t do that, he and Gus are friends!”
“Child, get away from him.” Someone grabs her arm and tugs her away. “The fact of the matter is, we have the Golden Guard right in front of us, and his army running amok through our school, and one of our students has been taken. Turning him over is the safest option by far, and it buys us time to think of a new plan.”
“Safe for who?” Willow bites, pulling against the arms holding her.
“For all of us,” says Principal Bump. Willow opens her mouth, and he holds a hand up to silence her. “He is not one of us.” Uneasy murmurs of agreement fill the room. “He is the Golden Guard, no matter how young he may appear. He has brought nothing but pain and suffering upon everyone here, and his life is no more valuable than Augustus’.”
“You don’t understand,” Hunter whimpers, backing up and shrinking into himself as he is advanced upon. “He’ll kill me, he’ll- he’ll do worse.” They remain unconvinced. There’s something akin loathing in their faces. They don’t just think he’s lying, they don’t care whether he is or not. They don’t care what will happen to them once he’s out of their hands, and truly, he can’t blame them. “ Please.” He switches tactics, maybe pleading will do better here? It feels manipulative, but he’s hopelessly afraid of being sent back. “I can get him back, I swear, you don’t have to give me over.”
“What reasoning do you have for why we should believe a single word from your mouth?” asks the Principal. It’s a very valid question, really, and one Hunter doesn’t truly have an answer for.
“Because… because I’m sorry, and I didn’t realize what I was doing was wrong,” he croaks, trembling where he stands. He’s backed into the corner, vines ensnaring his feet so he can’t run.
“I didn’t want to hurt anyone.” It looks, for a brief moment, like he’s getting through to them. Something in their faces softens, and the murmuring stops. But just as quickly as it appeared, it’s gone again.
“A likely story,” says Bump. “I’ve made my decision. We will offer the Golden Guard in trade for Augustus.” His tone reminds Hunter of the Emperor's when he’s giving Hunter orders, which is ironic, considering how much these people all hate the Emperor.
The vines have crawled up Hunter's legs, entangling him. He hasn’t been so scared in a very long time, and this isn’t even the worst it’s going to get.
“Please.” Willow is shouting something in the background, but all Hunter can hear is the ringing in his ears as his breathing ratchets up a notch. His vision is going blurry, the edges blackening. He’s going to pass out, a feeling that is very familiar but still horribly frightening.
It happens quickly after that, and his eyes roll up and away into his head as he goes limp.
“We have the Golden Guard.” Hunter’s eyes are sluggish to open, the way they are after he’s spent too much time training and winds up in the Infirmary. He blinks, and everything is a little blurry, and it takes several more for his vision to become clear enough to make anything out. “Give us back Augustus and you can have him.”
“Hand over the Golden Guard or you will be punished.” Hunter’s eyes fly open, suddenly remembering where he is. He knows the voice of every coven leader like the back of his hand, and this one sounds angry.
“Give us Augustus,” Principal Bump says, holding firm.
“This is not a negotiation,” Adrian, the Illusionist coven head snaps. When Hunter meets his eyes, he scowls, and Hunter shrinks. If he was in trouble before, which he was, it’s going to be so much worse now. “If you do not surrender him now, there will be severe consequences for all of your students, not just the one in our possession.”
“Correct, this is not a negotiation. These are our terms, meet them or leave without the Golden Guard.” Hunter’s hands are bound oppressively tightly, without the barest hint of wiggle room.
There’s a moment of consideration on Adrian’s end, where he very clearly is weighing the reward of bringing Hunter back without a fight versus how peeved the Emperor will be if he has to send an army to attack a school.
“Fine, take the boy,” he grumbles. Two guards step forward, each one holding one of Gus’ arms so he hangs slightly above the ground. “Now bring the Golden Guard.”
“Hunter?” Gus’ voice is small. He sounds very scared. It makes Hunter’s heart clench. “Why’s he tied up like that?” The fear on his face could rival Hunter’s, and he wants to help so very badly.
“It’s- it’s ok, Gus, you’re gonna be ok.” Not technically a lie, but he knows that Gus will be very upset about it regardless. Hunter is dragged forward to stand beside Gus. “It’s ok.” Gus stares at him, frightened, horrified, and with anger blooming over his features.
Principal Bump puts a hand on Gus’ shoulder, and Adrian puts one on Hunter’s, then, very quickly, they pull their respective child away, glaring at each other the entire time. There is no more acknowledgement as they turn and start moving away from each other.
“Hunter!” Gus shouts, fighting to free himself from the restraints Principal Bump has left him in, probably so that he can’t chase Hunter. “Hunter! What did you do? Why would you give him back?” He sounds so desperately heartbroken, Hunter wishes he could cover his ears.
He does understand why they turned him over, he really does, but that doesn’t mean that it’s any easier.
Gus does not stop yelling. Hunter can hear him all the way until they exit the building. For some reason, it makes him feel awfully guilty.