Series: Death Island #1
Publication date: November 25th, 2020
Synopsis:
With her family tainted by her great-grandfather's crimes, Meriden Cummings could only dream of fleeing her oppressive life. Then she unearthed a piece of tanned skin, and her blood revealed an ancient map adorned with Mayan glyphs, launching her on the journey of a lifetime. However, she finds herself bound to the map, and there is a cost to her newfound freedom. One that will torment her mind as well as her soul.
After being shanghaied by pirates, Gregory Wilson escapes to a small English village where he runs into an obnoxious auburn-haired beauty. When he learns she is about to set sail on dangerous waters, he signs up to join her crew, hoping to defend her from the pirates seeking her great-grandfather's treasure. But, will he be able to protect her from the ghost that haunts her or the curse running through her veins?
Available at:
Excerpt
Gregory
I thought back to the night Baker had cornered us in the pub, rerunning every moment in my memory. "Meriden, there wasn't any driver. The horse wandered into the alley on its own." Though, I had to admit to myself, that seemed convenient.
"I know." Her voice was barely audible. "But I saw him. His entire body is like my hand in my dreams, and his eyes are completely black." She shivered, probably from a combination of her story and the cold breeze that whipped by. "And this wasn't the first time. I've seen him in my village as well. I thought he was one of the Railings' gardeners that died in the attack. Now, I think there's something more to it. Like I'm either cursed or mental."
God, she must've been terrified if she was confiding such things to me. "I doubt you're either," I told her. Yet something brought to mind what Baker had said.
"Her blood is cursed, Mr. Wilson. Tainted by her family's greed. Much like your own."
"When did you say you started seeing the ghost? Was it after the pirate attack?"
Meriden's head shot up. "Yes, but not right after. I'd been out for weeks because..." She trailed off, momentarily. "Because of the map, which was created from my blood."
By the look on Meriden's face, she had drawn the same conclusion as I had. Bloody hell. Baker had been right. Her blood had been cursed, which was probably why she saw veins turning black. I took the hand she kept rubbing and flipped her palm toward the starlight. Nothing visible, yet knowing it was there made me sick with grief. I pulled her trembling body closer and gently stroked her hair.
"Whatever this is, curse or otherwise, we solve it together. I promise."
Meriden only nodded. Her mind focused on other things. I looked in the direction of the star she often wished upon, thinking of making a wish of my own--a wish that Baker was wrong--only to see a shadow in the distance.
"Meriden, toward the northeast."
Meriden gazed over at the horizon. Without a word, she pulled a spyglass from a sack tied to the guardrail, extended it to its full length. "Frigate," she said under her breath, then leaned over the rail to call into the night. "Sails!"
Kelsey Ketch is a young-adult/new-adult author, who works as a Wildlife Biologist and Data Analyst. During her free time, she can often be found working on her latest work in progress. She also enjoys history, mythology, traveling, and reading.
