Brenorra Warring's father is going crazy. That's the only conclusion Bren can come to when a fire destroys everything they own, and his only answer is to take a job in the uncivilized Coalition Colonial Region. On the other side of the ocean. Then disaster strikes at sea, and Bren is left with nothing but the clothes on her back, the things in her father's satchel, and the discovery that someone powerful was willing to kill innocent people to keep her father from reaching his destination.

Running for her life, Bren makes an alliance of necessity with two very different men. The first is a notorious - albeit dashing - pirate who knows entirely too much about Bren's situation. The other is a brilliant but extremely formidable Coalition Navy captain. Both are enemies, and both have their own reasons for finding Bren.

Dragged into a terrifying game of cat and mouse with a shadow organization that will do anything to find her father's secrets, Bren's journey will take her through harrowing navy battles, sabotage on the open sea, and into a world of heartache, human trafficking and political conspiracy. For, whether she's ready or not, the freedom of thousands now depends on her ability to keep from getting caught.

In this spellbinding debut, Pennymaker blends the best of several genres, weaving a touch of steampunk flair through a wide-ranging political thriller, with edge-of-your-seat action, richly imagined settings, and deftly portrayed characters.