After his part in a mess that shifted the delicate treaty with notorious pirate king, Alexander Keightley, and losing the trust of his captain and family, Jon is sent with Effie and a small group of trusted sailors on a mission of redemption. They have started a war with the most powerful pirate on the seas, and they will need more than themselves and a battered schooner to win. Despite the rumored risks, Jon sends a message to the notorious Eastern fleet seeking aid in defeating Keightley’s fleet and saving Lil. Jon remembers the fickle nature of a man named Archer Li, and hopes the commander who responds with the same surname won’t share the trait. Instead, Commander Tala Li’s help comes with orders for a high, potentially deadly price—an impossible task. With Jon’s heart and future in her hands and the most feared pirate in the Western Seas gunning for him, death isn’t the worst thing that can happen to a former pirate trying to find redemption. Failure is. Unfortunately, failing is the only consistent thing Jon’s done in his life. Maybe this time will be different.