Excerpt: Danny Dierks

As promised, below you will find an excerpt from my young adult novel, tentatively titled, Danny Dierks and the Heir of Pendragon. The selection is the prologue.

I have recently begun a Kickstarter program to get Danny properly published. I hope you'll consider backing me in my efforts.


The boy was reading in his bed. They had been watching him intently for at least three turns of the page before she spoke.


…so that’s him?...

Her father turned his head ever so slightly.

…do you doubt it?...

…he’s just a boy...

…he is at that…but… you feel it…don’t you?...


…I…I don’t know…I feel…strange…like I’ve never felt before…what is it?


…it’s in his blood…

He inhaled deeply and the great nostrils that adorned his snout flared.

…as strong as I’ve never known it...


…I don’t understand…do we have to stay?...can we go home now?...

He glanced at her.

…is something wrong?…


…please, father…can we go?...


…this is important…I want you to take a good look at him…


…no, please…I don’t know why…I’m really feeling ill…please, father…please…

She closed her eyes and pressed her fist against her chest. He knew she was going to fall before she did, but his reaction was slow. Her grip slipped and the branch that she grabbed for snapped under her shifted weight. The sound cracked the silence of the night air. The boy was immediately aware of the noise and moved quickly to the window. He called out as he opened it.

“Dad? Did you hear that? Sounded like a branch breaking,” the boy said. They tensed as the front door to the house opened. The boy’s father had heard the noise as well.

“Relax, Danny. Probably just some kids in the orchard,” the man said.

The boy leaned out the window, squinting into the night. The girl felt a pang of fear followed quickly by confusion for feeling that way. She wavered in the tree and her father had to quickly take her weight against the trunk of the tree.

…just hold on…they’ll go back inside in a minute…

“Did you hear that? I don’t understand why you don’t go after ‘em, Dad. They could be doing some serious damage!”

“Son, we’ve got over a hundred acres of trees out there. If I thought a couple of broken branches would make a dent in our profits, I’d be out there…but it won’t…so I’m not. I’ll take a look in the morning. Hopefully they don’t do too much damage. Now get that light out and get into bed. Last day of school tomorrow. You want to be rested.”

“Awe, Dad…I’ve got the whole summer to rest.”

“Danny…”

“Yes, sir,” the boy said, resignedly, and closed his window. The tension in the girl abated and she was able to cling to the tree on her own. The light went out a moment later, though they could tell by the shadows that he probably had a small flashlight on, or perhaps a laptop. The boy’s father gave the orchard one last look, then turned and went inside.

…he’s got her eyes...


…yes...he does…


…he seems so young...


…it’s all relative, little girl...


…I am not so young...


…to him, perhaps…


…can we go now?...


…yes…are you alright?...


…I think so…will I always feel…like that…around him?...


…I don’t know…I can feel the energy that courses through his veins…the long dormant power that has been passed to him seems to be strengthening and you seem to be rather affected…it’s intriguing…fascinating really...


…fascinating…great…I’m knocked off my senses by a boy no more than a tenth my age and all you have to say is fascinating…

The father said nothing.

…don’t tell Annie…please…


…my lips are sealed…


…she’d have a field day…


…I’m sure she would…


…may I go?...


…you may…Kara?...


…yes father?...


…don’t lose sight of what’s important here…that boy means everything…

She looked back at the window with a frown that wrinkled her brow. She nodded curtly, then turned from her father. She snaked her way down the tree and quietly landed on the ground beside the base of the oak. She didn’t even look back to see if her father had followed her. She wanted to put the house, and that boy, as far behind her as she could.

The father watched from the tree as his daughter made good use of the shadows to avoid being spotted. He remained in the tree until the boy had gone to sleep. The entire house was still. The windless night allowed him to hear the fly well before it arrived at the tree. The green-hued dragonfly landed gently on his hand. It’s wings fluttered gently and it cleaned its antennae absently. The father lifted the fly to his ear.

…good…yes, I know…oh?...well, that’s somewhat sooner than we had first predicted…but, that should be a happy reunion of sorts…yes, please…thank you, my friend...

The dragonfly zipped away into the night. The father eased his way down to a sturdy branch, then stepped off and leapt into the night, his wings unfurling. He caught an updraft and soared out over the orchard allowing the tips of his wings to brush gently across the newly formed leaves on the topmost branches.





This excerpt may not be reprinted without authorized consent of the author, Scott Mulraney. Thanks.