The Soul Reborn: From Silence to Sovereignty Chapter 90

Chapter 90: High Above the World

We strolled away from the ride like champions. My throat was raw from too much screaming, while Noah on the other hand was flush with messy hair as he grinned like a man fresh from battle eager for more.

I spotted the two party poopers by a bench with Lyra’s stroller. Livia stood with her arms crossed, her trademark stone-faced expression in place, while Elowen’s wide-eyed gaze still wandered like that of a true tourist.

When they saw us approach, both locked eyes on Noah first with some kind of respect. Was it really that big of a deal that he had the guts to go through with it?

“You’re alive,” Livia said flatly.

Noah just nodded calmly, “Barely.”

I grinned and gave Lyra a kiss on the cheek before grabbing something from my hoodie.

“Okay, okay…” I said, bouncing on my toes. “You guys have to see this.”

The only one who knew at the time was Noah, who had run interference while I secretly bought a souvenir photo from the log ride. I thought it would be fun to get Elowen’s reaction to how she looked, though I decided to let her calm down a bit before shoving it in her face, hehe.

I flipped it around and held it up with dramatic flair.

Behold…

My face had a huge smile while Noah was looking with wide eyes over my shoulder as he locked his arms around my midsection.

Elowen, on the other hand, looked like someone just ripped out her soul. She was freaked out to the highest degree, similar to a face you would find from any victim of the killer in a horror movie.

It was the most unhinged look I had ever seen on Elowen, her mouth stretched wide open and completely destroying the composed image she tried to present to the world.

Our whole party froze at the picture, but at the same time I saw Livia smirk. She’s probably also happy I couldn’t get something like this on her as well.

“I didn’t agree to that,” Elowen muttered. “But how… that’s my face?” She whispered, both mortified and mesmerized by the image in my hand.

I instantly lost it… doubling over, wheezing with tears in my eyes.

"I… I can’t… stop looking at it…" I choked out, tapping the photo. “I’m definitely putting it up in our castle somewhere.”

Elowen covered her face with both hands, mortified.

Livia grabbed the photo, looking at it with even more amusement as she continued to gaze at it.

She looked at Elowen with a pitying look. “May the goddess help you, because nothing else will.”

I snatched it back and tucked it into my inner pocket. “This is going in a frame as soon as I get the chance.”

Noah coughed into his fist, definitely hiding a laugh.

Elowen stayed quiet, knowing she couldn't force me to get rid of it. This was also a great picture of Noah and me together, so I refused to destroy it.

"Alright, I’m done teasing for now. Who’s ready for something different?"

All I received were looks that said, “Like we believe that.”

Whatever, hehe…

Is it really so wrong that I like teasing them now and then? They take everything far too seriously instead of just playing along. For me it's only a way to entertain myself with the people I care about. It's never malicious, only fun.

I smirked. “How do you feel about ghosts?”

Elowen stiffened, “Ghost?”

Livia raised a brow. “Like… real ones?”

“Not exactly,” I said, already steering the stroller in that direction. “They aren't real, probably. But the vibes are immaculate. So I’ll just ask straight up to be polite…”

I turned, dramatically planting one hand on my hip.

“Are you afraid of ghosts?” I repeated.

It was obvious Elowen was nervous, but Livia, on the other hand, had a skeptical look.

Noah just smiled, seeing I was putting on another act.

Neither of them spoke up, so I figured they agreed to it.

“Perfect, let’s find out who screams first.”

As we wound our way through the twisting paths of the park toward the looming shadow of a mansion, I couldn’t help but feel giddy at the girls’ expressions.

While we walked, my fingers itched for something more romantic than a stroller handle. If we had truly belonged to this world, a day like this would have been perfect for a date between husband and wife.

“Livia,” I called out, glancing back at her with a smile. “You’re on stroller duty.”

She blinked. “What?” I figured she was surprised, since from the moment of her birth I had never let anyone else near her if I was present. But this was different, and that was then.

“I need my hand,” I said, sliding my fingers through Noah’s. “This is basically a date, and I fully intend to enjoy it.”

Noah didn’t say anything, just gave my hand a gentle squeeze and that small, quiet smile that always made my heart hiccup.

Livia looked exacerbated, but at the same time she didn’t argue. “You know I was hired to be more your bodyguard than servant.” She commented.

While it was true she had some skills, more than anything I simply enjoyed talking with her. As she grew used to me, her snarky side began to show, proof that the noble in her had never completely faded.

“How’s this any different?” I called out over my shoulder.

Protecting my child was even more important; I had Noah next to me, so I was completely safe.

As we walked, Elowen pressed up beside me, her eyes still darting around the park like she was trying to memorize every detail.

“So… is this mansion… really haunted? What is it? I mean, come on, real ghosts… Will we need to fight something?”

She was a spitfire with constant questions, obviously trying to ease her worrying heart.

Livia chimed in from behind, “Is it like a cursed noble estate, or something… theatrical?”

I nodded. “It’s a spooky place with dramatic scenery, but also a little cheesy. Think of it as a kind of magic from this world and just enjoy the show. Nothing will hurt you, though it might give you a scare.”

They didn’t look reassured, but at the same time I didn’t say even one lie.

“It’s completely safe,” I added, patting Elowen’s arm. “Even Lyra can come with us on this one. Honestly? I can’t wait to see her little face brighten up at the crazy scenes we’re about to experience.”

The towering mansion came into view at last, an elegant Southern-style manor with glowing windows, while its iron gates whispered promises of doom. The line moved quickly; soon we were stepping into the shadow of its darkened halls.

As we entered, the door creaked open, and at the same time, the room stretched.

Lights dimmed and the ceiling rose higher, while portraits twisted and warped to reveal their ghostly forms as lightning crackled overhead.

Elowen gasped as Livia crossed her arms but shifted closer to me and Noah.

My tall and powerful husband just stood tall like he was our protector. I decided to ditch the stroller for this ride and just carry Lyra through it.

I watched as she tried to reach for the stretching portraits with wide eyes, completely in awe of this place.

"See?" I whispered, brushing my cheek against hers. "It’s a perfectly normal haunted manor." My reassuring tone did nothing to ease their nerves.

The doors opened, and we shuffled into our buggy. Glossy black clamshell seats glided forward like silent spirits along a hidden track. I sat with Noah, Lyra snug against my chest, turned forward so she could take in everything around us. Livia and Elowen followed in the one just behind us.

“You’re about to be delighted and traumatized,” I called back cheerfully as the ride started.

Even though I knew they would be fine, at the same time I found joy in doing this.

The buggies swiveled forward, dipping into pitch-black halls filled with flickering candlelight and whispered voices.

Then the narrator’s voice echoed all around us, deep, dramatic, and laced with sardonic humor.

“Welcome, foolish mortals…”

Elowen let out a very soft gasp from behind us.

“Is that ghost really talking to us?” She whispered just loud enough for us to hear.

“Just a voiceover,” I replied back nonchalantly.

Noah chuckled beside me.

The buggies turned.

A hallway full of moving portraits appeared, their eyes shifting to follow us as a cold draft drifted through the air.

Livia muttered, “If one of them dares to move towards me, I swear…”

I let out a giggle at such a response as I hear her cursing under her breath. She doesn’t seem to like the supernatural.

Then a room full of floating candelabras and swirling instruments. Music played from nowhere. A ghostly ballroom appeared next, transparent dancers spinning beneath a massive chamber.

Lyra’s eyes lit up.

She stared at the ghosts dancing in a loop, completely fascinated.

“I knew she’d love it,” I whispered into her ear, awed at my cute baby. Doing such entertaining movements trying to catch the ghosts or look around when one would disappear.

“Lyra’s fearless,” Noah commented, watching her instead of the ride.

“Of course, she’s our baby after all.” He smirked at me as we both chuckled together.

We dipped lower into the crypts.

Glowing skulls, singing statues, and tombstones with blinking eyes surrounded us. A hitchhiking ghost tried to join our buggy by projection, and Elowen let out an audible squeak.

“I don’t like that,” she quickly said as she clung to Livia, who looked annoyed.

"What’s not to love? Just look at Lyra." I lifted her slightly as we turned their way, and she giggled, babbling the kind of excited nonsense only a baby could.

As we moved toward the final scene, the buggy tilted slightly and slowed.

Outside the mansion the sun still shone bright, yet inside it felt as though the dead were throwing a party and we had been personally invited.

The narrator spoke one last time.

“Should you wish to stay forever, a death certificate is required. After all, the dead are always eager for new arrivals.”

After that the ride ended, and at the same time I was grinning from ear to ear.

I know Noah and Lyra enjoyed it, but the other two?

“So?” I asked, turning in my seat.

Livia and Elowen looked like they’d been through war, with wary expressions, wondering if it was finally over.

Elowen then commented. “Why did I kind of like that?”

On the other hand, Livia, “It was… impressive. I hate that I want to go again.”

I laughed and kissed Lyra on the forehead as we got off the ride.

"That’s Earth’s magic for you: creepy, cozy, and unforgettable."

After our haunted experience, we stepped back into the warm California sun, something I despised in my last life. I much prefer the cold weather of the North.

Maybe that’s why I was always meant to end up there? I mused.

“Alright,” I said, stretching my arms over my head. “Let’s go on something a bit slower next. A place that’s peaceful, scenic, and romantic.”

Livia perked up slightly. “Slower sounds good.”

Elowen nodded eagerly. “Let’s do something without shadows or… singing statues.”

I glanced over my shoulder at them, already smirking. “Okay, but one question. Are you two afraid of heights?”

They both visibly stiffened.

“I mean,” Livia said cautiously, “we’ve climbed castle towers.”

“Yeah,” I nodded, “but I’m guessing you’ve never been suspended in a giant spinning wheel with nothing but a metal bucket and gravity keeping you from plummeting to your doom.”

Both of their faces were deadpan in my direction.

"It’s called a Ferris wheel," I said with a grin. "Lyra can also ride with us, and that’s half the appeal—a big family seat with a gorgeous view."

"The way you describe it already gives me second thoughts," Livia muttered.

“Oh please, Livia. It’s just a large bench in the sky that even a tiny baby can ride.”

We made it to the iconic ride with a giant cartoon face decorated in the center of the wheel, smiling down over the park. The wheel glinted in the light, each gondola swaying slightly with the breeze.

“I love this one,” I said dreamily. “You can see the whole park and maybe even the ocean. It’s a perfect time for cuddles and quiet thoughts.”

“This doesn’t look quiet,” Elowen said just loud enough to voice her opinion over the excitement of the crowd.

“Don’t pay attention to the swinging ones,” I said quickly. “We’ve got my daughter, and I don’t feel like getting sick.”

They both let out a breath after seeing such a thing.

We boarded our gondola, with Noah and I with Lyra on one side. The other two were across from us.

I looked at them, grinning as the doors shut.

"Relax, it’s safe enough. From what I remember in my last life, I never heard of one of these having an accident, though I can’t say for certain it has never happened."

As we rose, they both looked for something to hold onto as I leaned into Noah as he draped an arm over my shoulder. Lyra was sitting comfortably on my lap as my arms secured her.

It creaked slightly as we increased our height. Our view of the world expanded with now being able to view it from high above.

The park lit up below us in dazzling colors, music drifting up from all sides. Water shimmered in the artificial lake, reflections dancing as we slowly climbed higher and higher.

We had a perfect shot of the sun setting in the distance.

Elowen leaned forward, jaw slack. “It’s so big…”

A perfect setup for a joke, yeah… But I’m not saying it around these two; I definitely thought it though, hehe.

Livia pressed her hand to the glass. “The lights… they stretch forever.”

I watched their awe with quiet satisfaction.

Lyra made a soft noise and reached for the window, tiny fingers pressing against the glass like she understood what she was seeing.

Noah stayed calm, steady as everyone’s rock, because he had to be. I was always the unpredictable one, and he was the one who could handle whatever came of it.

“Are you okay?” I asked him softly.

"I’ve looked down on kingdoms before," he murmured, his eyes fixed on the horizon. “But nothing that felt this endless.”

Electricity truly expands a world, especially from this height. From here you can see for miles, a view the pitch-black nights of the North could never compare to.

Once we reached the top, everyone was silent as they took in the view.

We lingered at the highest point for a moment. I lifted Lyra to the window so she could take in the view. She only smiled, giggling as she tried to touch whatever was in front of her beautiful sapphire eyes, just like her papa.

She truly is a happy baby, more proof that her memories were probably lost, sadly.

Elowen whispered, “I think I understand why you want to change everything even more now and why you wanted us to see a place like this.”

I turned to her slowly with expectations.

"Our world could have this," she said, "the joy, the light, the peace that is missing from most of the kingdom back home."

Livia nodded. “It’s overwhelming, but in a good way.”

I smiled, heart swelling.

"Exactly, now you see why we’re not just bringing back supplies. I want this future for everyone, especially for the next generation, the one my daughter will one day reign over."

The gondola began its descent, slowly rotating downward as the lights below brightened with the sun almost completely disappearing in the distance.

Lyra yawned softly in my arms, and I pulled her closer, unable to resist the warmth of her adorable little expressions.