Sicily in 1693 is recovering from a devastating earthquake and struggling under the oppression of the Spanish Inquisition. Raids from Barbary pirates menace the coastline, while European Princes plot against each other. Meanwhile, the sixteen-year-old Bernardo has been brought up in an isolated Benedictine Abbey since being orphaned seven-years before. Now an unexpected journey will introduce him to this chaotic and often cruel world, where his faith will be tested.
Rescuing a young girl, Agata, from Barbary pirates will reveal his presence to an old family enemy, as well as introducing him to a secret brotherhood, and to the confusion of adolescent love. However, as love deepens, the petite Agata does not remain a victim for long, growing into a beautiful woman and determined avenger. Family secrets and desperate journeys threaten to tear them apart but will ultimately lead them both to find out what is most important in life.

Captain Brian Sloan joined the British Navy (RFA service) in 1976 and qualified as Master Mariner in 1987. He saw action in the Falklands war '82 and First Gulf War '90-91. He helped with the aftermath of hurricane Gilbert '88 and Hugh '89 while stationed in the Caribbean on UK/US anti-drug smuggling operations. His last naval job was 3 months on Operation Haven, taking Aid to the Kurds in southern Turkey in spring of '91.
He and his family joined Youth With A Mission (YWAM) in September 1991 and after their initial missionary training in Uganda and Kenya, he joined the 12,000 tonnes hospital ship "m/v Anastasis". Brian served as the chief officer, then the captain from 1996. In 1999, Brian became the first captain of what would be renamed "m/v Africa Mercy", a 16,500 tonnes replacement for "m/v Anastasis".
From 2003, Brian started pioneering ship equipped ministries for YWAM in the Amazon, Lake Tanganyika, Tanzania and the Mediterranean. Focusing initially on medical relief and aid delivery, then later on mainly training the next generation of YWAM mariners.
He married Anne in 1980, and they have two sons and six grandchildren. Studying the history of the many places he visits has been a lifelong interest.