I also would like to express my gratitude to my Uncle Brad, Aunt Norma, Trevor, Jessica, Carrie, Adam, Dea, Mica, Jan, Terry, Andrea, Corey, Amy, and of course, my mom and dad. Your encouragement made this all worth it. To the person holding this book, I would love to hear from you. Please email me your thoughts or opinions at [email protected] and I will respond back to you personally. It is a pleasure to have you, the reader, join me on this exciting journey with the kingdom at the end of the driveway series. If you enjoyed this book, please spread the word to your friends, bookstores and librarians. Thanks again, and please keep your eyes open for Book Two: The Rightful Heir.

Jefferson Knapp

BOOK TWOK

Prologue–The Rightful Heir

THE CRESCENT MOON climbed higher in the black, late-August sky, casting its pale light eerily across pastures of bluestem grass. A light, cool breeze rocked the tall heads back and forth.

Out of the stalks a dark object jumped, then fell back to earth. A few moments later it jumped again, returned, then froze. It smelled something close by. Sniff, sniff. The pug looked to one side but saw no movement in the thick vegetation. On the other side, downwind and unseen, a line lengthened in the grass, quickly approaching.

“Son?” King Pugsly called out urgently, a silver-blue tag on his collar sparkling in the moonlight. “Is that you?”

A field mouse, on his way to a small puddle, faintly heard his king’s voice. His heart beat rapidly in his chest. He stopped to catch his breath beside the water. Without warning he was knocked onto his back and loud rattling thundered in his ears.

“Well, Edward. Hisssssss. Where issss he?” a rattlesnake whispered as another poked his head above the grass like a periscope, searching all directions.

“H-h-he’s back there a ways,” the small creature pointed behind him. “I moved downwind. I don’t think he n-n-noticed me.”

The snake’s laugh sizzled. “Gooood, little moussse. We’ll be ssseeing you sssoon. Come back here tomorrow night. The buzzard will be waiting.” The two snakes slithered off behind the mouse, their long, scaly bodies rustling the grass.

“Wait! W-what about my family?” Edward’s frantic whisper vanished in the field. He curled up into a ball and sobbed from the overwhelming weight on his heart.

King Pugsly walked toward the sound of movement. He inhaled deeply but his small black nose couldn’t pick up any familiar scents. “Son?”

In the split second he recognized the sounds of snakes in the grass, they lifted their diamond heads right in front of him and he jumped to avoid the attack. But he landed on one of their dark, muscled backs. Instinctively he bit and scratched, the snake shrieking as he savagely tore its scaly skin.