Shiver Her Timbers by Alex Westmore

Author:Alex Westmore [Westmore, Alex]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Lesbian, Romance
Goodreads: 28264420
Publisher: Broad Winged Books
Published: 2016-01-10T23:00:00+00:00

* * *

Standing at the helm as the ship made its way out of Clew Bay, Quinn felt oddly excited.

Not in a million lifetimes would the Quinn Gallagher of seven years ago have foreseen this: her moment of captaining a ship––and not just any ship. No, a ship belonging to the pirate queen, Grace O’Malley. It was almost too thrilling for words.

Grace had given her first choice of first mates. She chose Tavish and Kwame, while Innis took Fitz, Connor, and One Eye. Quinn also took Murphy, the cook, even though there was no real galley or kitchen on these ships. Murphy was a huge block of a man who could fight as well as he could cook and was loyal to the cause.

The rest of the crew was skeletal, just enough men to sail the ship. They would need the space for the galloglaighs.

The galloglaighs.

Now there was something you didn’t see often.

They were the potent result of interbreeding of the Scottish Gaels with the Norse settlers who settled the Hebrides; the word meant foreign warrior... but they were so much more than that.

Their favorite weapon was a six-foot-long, razor-sharp, double-sided battle ax called a sparth, which they would use in fights to the death. Galloglaighs seldom retreated, quit, or withdrew from any battle, even if it was clear their opponents had superior members or strength. This was what made them so fierce. They simply did not surrender.

In return for their mercenary services, they were often granted large tracts of land, which they neither farmed nor cared for because they lived for battle.

According to Tavish, who had briefed both ships prior to sailing, the galloglaighs were also fond of the claiomh mor, or “big sword,” along with long spears, small bows, and lethal throwing darts much like the knives Quinn wore. They were, for all intents and purposes, highly skilled killing machines who served the highest bidder and fought until death.

With merely one and a half chests of gold, Quinn wondered just how many of the warriors they would be successful in procuring.

“Captain, have ya gone deaf?”

Quinn looked around for Grace before she realized Tavish was talking to her.

“Sorry, Tavish. I was... never mind. What is it?”

“Bonnie Doon is the first place we ought to dock. There are at least two dozen of them around the village at enna given time lookin’ fer work.”

Quinn nodded. “Very well. Kwame, set our sails and make way to Bonnie Doon. How do you wish to proceed, Tavish?”

Tavish stroked his chin. “Verra carefully, Captain. They’ll see us comin’, to be sure. Some will come right away to the dock lookin’ fer work. If it is all right with ya, I suggest lettin’ me do the talkin’.”

Quinn nodded. “Very well. My Scottish is weak at best. Then let’s make our way and secure ourselves some of your finest warriors.”

An hour later, Quinn stood next to Tavish in the village center of Bonnie Doon, a trade post known for its fine wool. The village center was

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