Coming of Age

At the age of thirteen, all the children of Niliquin must summon a familiar—a creature that will be with them for the rest of their life— or be cast out of Niliquin and given a ship.
The outcasts are given a pirate title and told to never return again.
Enter: Madelyn Thomas, a girl, aged twelve, whose thirteenth birthday is right around the corner.

Maddy has had it tough her whole life, and she's pretty damn sure she hasn't got it in her to summon a familiar. Her brother sure didn't. But she has to! She's not cut out for a pirate life.