«A Jewel Bright Sea» by Claire O'Dell

“A fast-paced sword-and-sorcery pirate adventure filled with magic and double-dealing” from the author of the Janet Watson Chronicles (Martha Wells, New York Times–bestselling author of the Murderbot Diaries).   A talent for tracking magic gets Anna Zhdanov sent to catch a thief. A scholar’s daughter sold as a bond servant, she has no desire to recover the Emperor’s jewel for herself. But a chance to earn her freedom has driven her to the untamed Eddalyon province, awash with warm breezes, lapping waves, and more danger than she could possibly guess.   Within days her cover as an indolent noblewoman is in question, and it’s clear there’s more to Anna’s task than she knows. Soon she’s the captive of the unpredictable pirate captain Andreas Koszenmarc, hunted by the Emperor’s guard, besieged by a brigand queen, and at odds with her only friend. She must trust someone if she is to survive. But when all that’s certain is that everyone is hiding something, it’s no simple thing to choose . . .  “If you want rousing adventure with capable heroines and mysterious heroes, along with magic, swashbuckling, romance, and pirates, Claire O’Dell delivers the goods. I highly recommend A Jewel Bright Sea and can’t wait to read more!” —Darlene Marshall, award-winning author of Castaway Dreams