When the Prince of the Narranta Peninsula offers a generous reward for a small but precious box lost at the bottom of the Soundless Caves, Captain Seradona Dunn vows to acquire the object for her crew, come hell or high water. But Briar Alatour—a westerner on the run—hears of the box too, and for him it’s the chance to begin anew. He knows nothing of the sea, but upon discovering where Seradona and her crew are heading, he doesn’t hesitate: he sneaks onto their ship. He did not expect them to be pirates. Nor could he predict the contents of the box and the cost of exploring the depths of the Soundless Caves.