X Marks the Spot
By Kit Barrie
Where there is gold, there is also blood.
Beset by bad luck and alone in the world, young Jamie Davis is taken in by widowed antiquities dealer, Squire Harrington. Trapped in debt, the squire decides to risk everything to find the buried treasure of the notorious pirate, Captain Charles Locke, and he and Jamie set off on a whirlwind adventure on the high seas!
Entranced by the handsome Captain Ambrose and befriended by the mysterious one-legged cook, Silas Cross, Jamie wonders if good fortune has finally smiled on him. But there is more to their hired crew than meets the eye. Jamie learns that not every cloud has a silver lining, and trust can be worth its weight in gold.
Will Jamie be able to escape the clutches of the pirates, find the treasure, and return home alive? And if he does, can he ever trust someone with his heart again?
X Marks the Spot is an M/M retelling of the classic tale Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson.
The Queerly Classic Collection is a reimagining of classic stories, with an M/M twist. They contain adult language and situations and are not intended for children.
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Excerpt
The captain was a tall man, taller than the squire by a good several inches and much taller than myself. He carried himself with confidence, his chin lifted high, his back straight. He was currently dressed in a fine linen shirt, waistcoat, and dark trousers, red silk cravat at his throat, with shiny black boots on his feet, and a silk scarf with some of the finest embroidery I had ever seen wrapped around his waist. His hair was short and dark, his eyes the color of melted chocolate drops, and a fine bristle of hair covered his strong jaw. He was probably of late twenties in age, and I might have pegged him for a dandy rather than a seafarer if not for the single ring of gold he wore in his right ear. He smiled, ignoring the few curious or appreciative looks from the inn patrons he received as he strode across the room to us, holding out his hand for the squire to shake. “Good to see you again, Squire.” His voice was deep and flowed elegantly. Then his eyes turned to me, and I am rather ashamed to admit that my breath caught in my throat. “And you must be young Mister Davis.”
He held out his hand, and I took it with my own that trembled slightly, for I had never seen a man such as this. His smile was as bright as the midday sun, and his fingers around mine were warm and firm. “Yes, sir,” I managed to squeak out, and the man laughed heartily and gave my hand a solid shake.
“Miles Ambrose, Captain, at your service,” he said, spreading his arms to the side and giving a slight bow, like an actor after a performance.
“Captain Ambrose crews the MORAY, which we have engaged for our expedition,” Squire Harrington said. “And he has a fine vestment of crew members as well.”
“Indeed I do, sir,” Ambrose said, sitting down at the chair the squire proffered, close enough to me that his knee touched mine under the table. “Seeking a few more solid hands before the mast, but we shall be ready to ship out before the end of the week.”
About the Author:
Kit Barrie (she/her) was raised by pirates in a traveling carnival where she learned how to fly and to weave fantasy into reality. She identifies as chaotic bisexual, with good intentions and questionable methods. She lives in an utterly unfantastical state in the Midwestern United States with her very supportive spouse (VSS) and at least 4 food goblins who might just be cats gobblin’ food.
Please visit www.kitbarrie.com for more information on Kit and her other available titles.
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