Rasim is no stranger to bad luck. Orphaned at birth, he holds his place in the Seamasters' Guild by dint of quick thinking and sheer stubbornness. Possessed of little magic but a sharp mind, his greatest talent seems to be finding trouble—or perhaps escaping it just in time. No one is more surprised than Rasim when he earns a place on the fleet’s flagship, sent North for a daring mission. Storm, treachery, piracy, and outright war sail with them. One half-strength foundling can’t hope to save the fleet, his friends, or even himself. But Rasim is determined to try. He'll use every bit of cleverness and magic he has available to outwit his enemies and protect his friends. In doing so, he just may save his country, and become what he’s always wanted to be… A Seamaster.

It's good luck to earn the king's regard...isn't it? Seamaster journeyman Rasim's quick wits have helped to save his beloved home city and earned him the dubious honor of studying with the diplomatic Sunmasters. But not everyone is happy that magical knowledge is being shared, and when the king orders the guilds back to the Northlands on a sensitive political mission, it may well cost Rasim his life. Seamaster-born, Sunmaster-trained, Rasim now faces a fight that can only be won by a Stonemaster...