Tents scatter the deeply wooded grounds and campfires burn low, their embers barely lighting our path. At this moment, I’m a traitor. I’ve abandoned my mission, apprehended a fellow Rebel, and betrayed my mentor. Now, I’m giving away our hidden base to the enemy. Xander walks silently beside me. I need to discover what his place is in all this, and I need to convince Micha that I did the right thing. That they marked the wrong guy. As we near the center of camp, I see two guards posted at the entrance of Micha’s tent. We’ll never get by them without disturbing the whole camp. I tug Xander’s hand, nodding toward the woods. We have to sneak around. Stealthily, we circle the camp, making our way toward the back of the tent. Suddenly the crickets and sounds of the forest are too low, my breath is too loud, and I feel my every step is echoed throughout the camp. I have to be smart about this. If I walk into the tent, Xander in tow, I’ll bring on a fight before I can speak my mind.
