Chapter 54: Captured

Hands bound behind her back, Charlisse sat in the wobbly longboat and watched the black water swirl with each foamy plunge of paddles into its depths. Two pirates sat in front of her and three behind. They had refused to tell her where they were taking her, but she could only assume her destination was one of Morgan's ships. What could they possibly want? And why go to all the trouble of blowing up a church to capture her?

Thank God the children had not been harmed. After Merrick had left, the pirates had ordered the orphans to run deeper into the jungle, threatening them with death if they came out before sunrise. Charlisse had told them to obey and not to worry. Then she'd embraced as many as she could before they scampered off into the night, casting frightened glances over their shoulders.