The jungle on either side was a haze of green and brown as the river's current swiftly carried them downstream. Isabella, whose hands were still shaking from their tight escape, slumped back against the boat's wooden bench. The mayhem they had left behind was drowned out by the sound of the ocean roaring. At the helm, Xander's eyes were focused on the future, but his jaw was clenched tightly, indicating that he was still on high alert.
With her arm wrapped protectively around her daughter's shoulders, Christine sat next to Isabella. "How are you doing, my love? Christine's voice was hardly audible above a whisper when she asked.
Despite the adrenaline still pumping through her veins, Isabella nodded. There was no time for consolation, but she could sense her mother's anxiety. "We must continue to move," she answered, sounding more determined than she actually felt. "Victor is gone, but his men won't stop."
With tears still in her eyes, Christine nodded. All of them had been weakened b
