An ache pierced my chest. She knew. She knew how much despair I felt at the absence of Tuck and my parents. This wasn’t my fight. There was only one place I would willingly die to protect. But it also was my fight because these people had taken me in and been kind to me and they were now facing betrayal and starvation. How could I live with myself if I didn’t participate in helping them in some way? How could I ever look Tuck in the eyes again if I didn’t exhibit at least some of the honor so important to him?

I’d learned so many lessons about valor and what it truly meant to have integrity in the last few weeks. I had learned who I wanted to be and the values I would put ahead of anything, even death.

“I’m sorry… I’m sorry I can’t stay.” My purpose wasn’t here. And though I prayed with all my heart Layne and Freddie and the rest would be victorious tonight, my home was elsewhere.

“I know,” Layne said. “You have somewhere to go.”

I grabbed her hand in mine. “I’ll help Asher. Then you fight,” I said. “Fight hard.”

“You too,” she said. “It won’t be easy for you to make it home.”

“Some things are worth fighting for,” I said. She pulled me to her and we embraced, holding each other tight before letting go.

I gave Freddie a quick hug too and then they turned and cut through the foliage. I ducked low and ran to the next house, climbing the pool fence and running quietly around the pool, then jumping the fence again on the other side. There was a high stone wall surrounding the garden at the back of the next house and I grunted in frustration. If I scaled every wall and fence from here down to the front gate, it’d take hours. If it hadn’t been discovered we were gone by now, it most certainly would be by then.

I hesitated for a moment, and then turned toward the front, but spotted the sweep of a flashlight from that direction where they likely had at least one guard in front of each house. I couldn’t risk being caught by one of them. I needed to get to Asher.

There was only one good option, and it would get me to the bottom of the hill quickly. I turned, running along the stone wall and heading toward the edge of the cliff. Behind the gates and fences was a small portion of trees, bushes, and foliage that was almost completely shrouded in darkness. It would take me just as long to step carefully through that lightless area. Instead, I squeezed through the back bushes that suddenly opened up to the edge of the cliff and before I could think about it, I stepped down onto the narrow ledge.