in which maggie is thrown in jail

Three days later the Black Lightning set sail from Port Doras with a full complement of pirates, all women save for the priest. Severein, the sailing master, had left and been replaced with a girl named Adriata, who did the best she could with the maps and charts that she had but who could also navigate by sun and stars to at least point them in the right direction. She seemed to know her way better than Severein had, and what was more, where Severein had been captured and pressed into service, she had wanted to join Maggie's crew.

Maggie's pirate navy was some of it already at sea, and the plan was to convene all the commanders - if not all the ships - in two weeks' time on an island much like Port Doras, without imperial oversight or law. But first, before the Black Lightning turned towards this future pirate council, Maggie had one last stop, one last captain to speak with, and she had Adriata point her ship towards the town of Merrinport so she could keep this last appointment.

( Maggie knew that there was a special bounty on her head in Merrinport )

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total words: 41155