The Red Drifter of the Sea (Pirates of the Isles #3) - Celeste Barclay Page 0,73

with him alone. If we don’t find him or can’t burn his ships, we attack on land.”

The men nodded but remained silent. None of the sailors enjoyed going on land for anything more than a night with a woman, but they could fight just as well on land as they could on a ship. With sturdy legs that kept them upright even on a listing ship, they rarely had trouble defeating opponents on land when nothing moved below them. When they arrived at the Lady Charity, the twins retired to Kyle’s cabin, where they stood over maps of the Irish coastline.

“There,” Kyle said as he moved his finger from the cove where they’d spied Moira’s clansmen’s ship, then waited out the storm. He dragged his finger down the coast until he came to a bay. “This is where the O’Malleys lay in wait. It’s where they attacked us when Senga was onboard. Moira’s clansmen stopped north of there because they believed they could drop anchor and go unnoticed. It’s why I thought we could remain in the area. They appeared out of nowhere when they attacked us last year, but I saw where they retreated to. I saw the cave they entered.”

“If they use foustes and corvettes, the bay must not be that deep. Our dinghies won’t serve us well if we’re attacking. We risk running aground if we approach too closely,” Keith pointed out.

“Aye. That’s why my crew goes on land to find their camp or cottages. While we do away with the O’Malleys, your crew does away with their ships. If we decimate their fleet, it will be a long time before they’re a scourge of these waters again. Any who survive will retreat to County Mayo with their tails between their spindly legs.” Kyle straightened and crossed his arms, waiting for his brother’s assessment of his plans. Keith remained bent over the map for another minute before nodding his head and standing upright.

“If we are there in time, go ashore before it’s light,” Keith suggested. “We row out together, and on the way, you show me the cave. My men and I burn their fleet. If you don’t find them on land, or you don’t kill them all, they still won’t be able to follow us or sail home. They’ll have no means to raid any merchants or pirates until they can rebuild. And they won’t have the funds to do that without raiding.”

“And if they outnumber my crew on land? Or they lay in wait with their ships and outnumber yours? What is our contingency plan then? My idea only works if we can evenly divide the task,” Kyle wondered aloud.

“Send Tomas to scout,” Keith stated. “The man is a bluidy wraith. I’ve never met someone who can be bluidy invisible like he can.”

Kyle nodded before going to the door of his cabin and summoning Tomas. The captains explained their plan and showed Tomas the map. When they were in agreement, Keith returned to his ship, swinging through the air from one deck to the other, laughing merrily since both ships were underway and not tethered. Kyle heard his brother and shook his head, knowing he was just as much a daredevil as his twin.

I’m coming for you, Moira. I swear. Tomorrow eve. I will have you back with me by tomorrow's eve. I’ll kill that bastard in the morn and sail for you by noon. Then I shall bring you to our cabin and worship every inch of you.

As Kyle lay on his bunk planning every kiss and touch he intended to bestow upon Moira, he didn’t notice that in his mind, the cabin now belonged to the two of them.

Twenty-Three

Kyle dozed, but fear of oversleeping kept him from relaxing into a deep slumber. They’d sailed to Wicklow only to have a disappointing morning before sailing south to where they’d fought the O’Malleys just the day before. When the hour drew near for Tomas to go ashore to scout, Kyle met with his first mate and Snake Eye. Tomas and Kyle trusted no one else to watch the dinghy while Tomas moved about the cliffs. Snake Eye had a defect in his right pupil, making it more oblong than round. He swore it was why he had better-than-average vision. He could notice movement before anyone else, which made him the perfect scout’s scout. With a piercing whistle of warning to Tomas, he would have the dinghy back in the water with the oars out before