A witness to the murder of a fellow apprentice, Caulen Mathersby is forced to flee for his life. In a desperate bid for safety, he sneaks aboard the Morning Star, a merchant vessel departing the city of Luthenaris. Branded a runaway servant and then a stowaway, Caulen must evade capture at the hands of the bounty hunter Val Benlock while also coming to grips with strange powers he can barely understand. He is confronted by Eradshi, a sea goddess, and offered freedom from the magical shackle that binds him if he retrieves a priceless artifact of power for her. What choice will he make?