Chapter19: Joining us finally

LORRY SPRINGSTONE'S / KELLY THOMPSON'S POV Eden's eyes widen in awe as he reaches out to grasp the scepter. It's far too large for his small hands, but he holds it reverently. "I will, Daddy," he says, his voice trembling slightly. With no extra word, Jason turns and disappears down the corridor. Eden begins then to clutch the golden scepter to his chest, his eyes wide with a mixture of fear and determination. I thus place a comforting hand on his shoulder, my heart aching at the weight of responsibility now resting on him. "Come," I thereafter say softly, gently urging the future ruler of the South pack forward. "We must hurry." I stress out. Tina leads us through a maze of hidden passageways, the stone walls pressing in around us as we descend deeper into the bowels of the palace. The distant sounds of battle - howls, roars, and the clash of steel - echo faintly through the tunnels, sending a chill down my spine. Finally, we emerge into the cool night air near the lake's edge. The mo