Pirates, Pirates! (A Rogue’s Tale Part III) by Saoirse O'Mara Excerpt

Title: Pirates, Pirates! (A Rogue’s Tale Part III)
Author: Saoirse O'Mara
Expected Release Date: June 27, 2013 (Amazon)
Price: $2.99 or FREE for Prime Members for the First 3 Months

Description:

Imagine you witness a murder but have no clue who the man was, or why he had to die. Imagine you stumble into a rat's nest of piracy and greed and put your own life at stake for the sake of justice. Imagine you don't know who you can still trust....

"No matter how she looked at it, she ended up with far too many suspects. How should she ever get to the bottom of the attack and the murder if almost half the harbour population had a motive?"


Excerpt

Tayla had often wondered what it would be like to leave the city on one of those ships to sail to foreign harbours. Lost in her daydreams, her gaze lost focus. She was on board a huge vessel, surrounded by the calm sea, a gentle breeze caressing her bare arms. The air smelled tangy and the salt burnt faintly on her skin. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the sun on deck when suddenly, shouts erupted in the distance. Irritated, she walked around the ship to find the source of all that noise. But no matter where she went, the voices remained distant and indistinguishable.

It took her a moment to realise that the shouts came from the docks below and were not part of her dream. She cleared her head and looked down. A group of sailors and dock workers had formed a circle around two men who were obviously fighting. The group cheered and clapped every time one of the men lodged his fist into the other’s face.

I wonder what they’re fighting about, she mused. She strained her ears to catch what they were shouting but the distance was too great. Then, a single word made its way up to her.

‘Traitor!’

The dynamics of the group shifted. Tayla’s interest peaked as more of the bystanders started to punch one of the fighting men. The one-on-one fight had suddenly turned into a group beating. She was glued to the scene. By Negh, they’re beating him to death! What’s going on there? When the group finally left the victim alone, he didn’t move. They walked away as if nothing had happened. No one looked back.

~Pirates, Pirates!