My Life & How It Has Changed Me Book 8

Chapter 2-3

Off With Her Head

Part 4

The High Judge pounded on the gavel, requesting silence and order; it became so quiet you could hear the pool bubbling in front of us as it reminded us, we would be using it as they watched us finish the "Preparing Ritual." The Judge had me play twenty questions as his inquisitors paced or stopped in front of me to read my mind, feeling the sweat drip from my face. Told me to get up and walk, and each time the words got louder inside my head. Yet, I didn't heed them.

Until four of them were circling me; I got up, and my legs wobbled, taking five painful steps then fell onto the ground. A collective gasp arose from the onlookers. Not only were they doing it by mind control, but speaking louder. No matter how hard I tried, it was an impossibility. The Queen rose and walked near me. Placing her finger on my forehead, she screamed. "Walk …! I know you can! I have seen you walk a short distance!"

I nodded and said. "Hand me my canes."

She shook her head no. and demanded me to walk using a knife at my throat only for it to be pushed away as her hand shook, dropping the knife. She screamed in pain, gripping her hand. She said. "He's been warded by magic of some kind. Or by someone." She whispered barely audibly, "Or a spirit, someone more powerful than …. me!" Looking around the room then straight at me and then at Dora, fearing as if that person was in the room, nearly shaking in fear.

The Judge looked down at me sitting on the floor. Opening my medical records and asking the Queen. "Do you have proof of this? Because the boy's medical file and our own doctors say he can't, not without his canes, or leg braces, or without help."

She nodded, and she quickly placed a video in front of him. She smiled. "I have taken it from the hotel inside his bedroom as he had sex."

When the tape played, the video was blank, showing only static, as if someone had erased it. "Is this some kind of joke?" The Queen kept forwarding, then it stopped when reached a porn video, as the Black man said. "Come here baby," as the whore smiled, wearing nothing. She gasped as she looked at the tape and back at me.

The High Bishop grinned with a slight chuckle and said. "This must be your favorite pastime, my Queen."

She screamed. "You are responsible for this!"

He laughed. "Explain to me my Holy Queen how I was able to be in two places. I have been sequestered inside my Salt Lake home the entire time. Do you have proof of me entering your school? I think not." 

She said. "You must have sent someone." Looking at Dora, as she just filed her nails, paying no attention to the heated angry stares from the Satanic Queen.

He said. "Yes, I could have. But then again, you would need proof. However, I have accounted for all my men, but you cannot account for yours. And Dora has never left my side, so you can't blame her either," He quickly said. "I, however, have a copy of the tape. Showing him in my house, needing the use of a wheelchair, leg braces and his canes to get around and with the help of his friends and husband. I will start it at the wedding ceremony where thousands of people have witnessed Nate and his disability."

In a playful gesture, he tossed her the video, which she caught effortlessly. By replacing the original footage, he presented a video of me happily wedded and living in his exquisite home. With the video in motion, we meticulously brought to life the spellbinding scene, making it even more captivating through the use of a mesmerizing camera illusion. He paused and said. "I have tons of tape showing Nate in his disabled state; in which your own doctor's state is true, the inquisitors. Question him and demand him to walk and he did so at your request, but failed.

"Your supreme honor, do you need any more proof that states this boy cannot walk without help? Or you the jury need more proof?" They took a vote, and we won with the majority, then it suddenly changed in the Queen's favor, when that happened. Everyone gasped. It meant that the Queen and her people were trying to gain a foothold, making it a mock trial in her favor.

The Judge said. "It appears we have doubts, I tend to agree," and then he shook his head. "No, I don't agree. I ask for a new vote." The vote came in favor of me.

The Queen growled. "It still doesn't prove that the boy before us is Nate Carrion. I will undeniably prove this: My inquisitors, not yours, will uncover the truth using any means possible, even if it leads to death, and expose the forged records."

The High Bishop said. "Excuse me, did I hear the words that you are telling them to kill my guests? When I have signed a blood contract stating any harm to them, by any means either by you, your men, or the inquisitors, is a breach of contract?"

She smiled and said. "I know the terms." She pointed at Eli and said. "Kill your husband. Pick up the knife off the floor and kill him."

Eli shook his head, a clear refusal, ignoring the command. His forehead was beaded with sweat as she kept forcing him to do so. Eli waited until the last minute before she was about to do it herself, seeing her head bead with sweat. Eli rose, his movements jerky as he circled the knife, a staged struggle before slowly picking it up, the cold steel glinting in the light, and then, with a theatrical gasp, he dropped it, yelling. "No! I will not kill my husband, you vile, conniving bitch!" The words spat from his lips like venom.

The Queen's shoulders sagged and said. "His will is too strong; I have had a hard day." She asked three of her best warlocks to do it. They were more than happy to do so, but the results were even worse. We watched Eli kick the knife away and kissed me so passionately it took mine and everyone's breath away as the Queen asked. "What is the meaning of this? I said kill him, not kiss him." The four warlocks sagged as they told her they were. The queen pointed to one of the warlocks and told him to kill the man in front of him. A violent tremor racked his hand as the warlock went for the knife, the cold steel a stark contrast to his sweat-slicked palm. He was about to strike, but something intervened, the knife falling from his grasp with a soft *thunk*.

The High Judge stood up and said. "No, this has gone far enough my Queen. This is not a death chamber. This is a trial where we judge yours and the High Bishops crimes. Not show us who is the most powerful, like squabbling children. Take a seat now and if you have evidence to contradict the High Bishop's evidence, you are welcome to cross-examine and present your own proof. Thus far, he has shown his capability to walk unaided, and you have no substantiation, be it through magic or video, that challenges this."

The Queen smiled. "You care to repeat that?"

He said. "The boy can walk."

The queen said. "So, you all heard it?"

The High Judge said. "The boy can wa―." The Judge stood stumbling for words then stood up stopping her and said. "Stop playing mind games with me. I said the boy can't walk don't put words into my mouth."

She giggled. "Your words are your own Judge; I never tricked you to say the truth. It was―"

He pounded on the gavel said. "Shut the hell up or I will―?"

She said, stopping him; she giggled. "You'll do what?" He tried to answer, but couldn't. She giggled as she moved her fingers and wrist as if she was waving to us. "Cat got your tongue?" He choked down a glass of water.

She said. "It matters not if the boy can or can't walk, even though it would prove my point. That he is a liar and so is the High Bishop. You are quite wrong about who has the most power, as you can see … I do. Not you … or. The High Bishop's whore … witch. As you can see, I have the most power, so we shall continue. By proving once and for all that this boy is not Nate Carrion … Where should I start?" No one said anything like they chose not to or couldn't. She said. "O' I think I will start with the people he has brought with him so the jury and "The Nine's' can see that they have been trying to deceive us all."

The Queen said. "I will start with his husband, Eli." The High Judge nodded, wiping the beads of sweat from his face, and Eli took center stage. He made it look as if he was being tortured, but she failed and moved on to each of our wives, and the Benson's and Dora then the High Bishop himself.

Each one did their best proving that I was Nate Carrion. The High Bishop showed the clip where he interrogated me, and including my look-alike impostor. Who I had no doubt that Jeff was involved. The queen rephrased each of the questions and so did her inquisitors, getting nowhere.

The queen said. "Perhaps I was wrong, your honor. Forgive me; it has been a very long day. I need time to research the matter further."

The Judge said. "No, there is no more time. He has no proof. You have asked your questions, and you have done everything to ensure these questions were answered. You have found the truth to prove that this boy is not Nate Carrion."

His body shook even more, pounding his hand on the podium trying to get control of himself, fighting the magic she was using against him, and the jury said. "I repeat the boy is not―" He started again, standing up and shaking like a dog after taking a bath. "I repeat the boy is not―" He sat down hard, and she waited, and he said. "The boy is not Nate Carrion, "as if she had released his tongue.

The jury murmured; their confusion evident as they tried to make sense of the situation. Amidst the uncertainty, the proof was once again presented, reaffirming that I was Nate Carrion, not the other way around. Suddenly, Dora raised her hand, conjuring a ball of light that emitted a brilliant flash, capturing everyone's attention. With conviction, she spoke, bringing to light her concerns about the trial being influenced by the Fallen Holy Queen's bias and personal agenda.

Dora pointed out the lack of evidence supporting the queen's claims about Nate's identity and ability to walk. It became clear that the queen aimed to deceive and manipulate the proceedings, ultimately seeking control over not just the trial but also the lives and souls of those present. Such manipulation could not be allowed.

With determination, Dora proposed a solution. She suggested that the High Judge, the High Bishop, and the Council of the Nines relocate the proceedings to a room devoid of magic, ensuring that the facts would remain untainted and unadulterated. The Judge and the jury were in full agreement and prepared to take action, but before they could, they found themselves immobilized, unable to move or speak a single word.

The Queen giggled as she walked over to Dora as if she and she were roosters in the same pin or a cockfight. The Queen said. "A room without magic? How very unnecessary. Considering so far, the Judge himself and many of the jury and "The Nine's" have already stated the true facts. Nate Carrion is not the boy here, and he can walk. You are just trying to sway the vote after it has already been given and in my favor and not yours. You little cockroach I can squish you if I choose, but you do amuse me so we will play this out."

Dora said sweetly, "Your Honor, can you give us a vote one last time for the record? Is the boy Nate Carrion and can or can't he walk?"

The High Judge said. "No, he cannot walk and yes he is Nate Carrion. The proof stands as I have said. Tell me the jury about how you stand, so we can move on." They all voted back in our favor.

The Queen's eyes, narrowed and cold, fixed on Dora, me, the High Judge, and the jury as she spoke. "As I was saying, it matters not. In the end. I will win, as I have always had. It matters not if the boy is Nate Carrion or if he can or can't walk.

"The real and only issue is if they have failed in the "Preparing Ritual." The very Ritual I have put in place as I, myself have taught it since the day we came out of the darkness and brought back the true church using the old rituals.

My vote is that they have failed, and I strongly believe that this is a deliberate strategy to cause a delay. In my role as their merciful Queen and only high Queen, I am extending one last chance for them to prove the completion of the task; failure to do so will result in the execution of all parties involved, as stipulated in the agreement made with the High Bishops and sealed with a blood contract." 

Jeff told us that wouldn't happen again because someone changed the water to an acid bath. Dora said. "Your Honor, I find that the pool before us contains acid."

The Queen said. "More lies witch. When did I have a chance to make it so? I have been standing clear over here and so have my men. It must have been you when no one was looking."

Dora said as she smiled back so sweetly. "Even for me, with a room full of people, that was quite a feat, especially since they stripped and searched us for weapons several times. And, if you haven't noticed, these robes have no pockets, and my guests and I—except for my master—are naked under them." She took hers off and proved to them that was the case; turning her robe inside out showing no pockets of any kind.

The High Judge said. "Do you have proof, witch, that the water in front of us contains acid?"

Dora nodded she did, said. "But it would require a demonstration. First, if the Queen would allow one of the men that have been found guilty of disobeying a direct order." 

She shook her head no, stating it was just a delay tactic to delay the ritual. "I have said I have killed the men for their actions."

Dora said. "Then you wouldn't mind having them remove their masks, so we might identify them."

The queen said. "Yes, I do mind by unmasking my men will put them in danger of being recognized on the street."

Dora said. "A compromise, your honor. Just one man, if the man is recognized as one of the men she had been ordered to kill, not save him. Then it will state that she again has lied. If not, I will personally go into the water." The Queen shook her head and said that she must prove that water really contains acid first.

Dora said. "Fine!" And tossed in her robe and it bubbled and fell apart into a million pieces.

The Queen laughed. "Such an easy trick your honor. She can easily use the robe that way with the right spell or incantation. So easy, a first year witch could do it." The Judge motioned someone to hand her a new robe off the wall. One of the robes we would be using after the ritual.

The High Bishop said. "Fine! Let see what happens when I toss your video in … that showed us nothing but a porn tape." She held it close to her chest, but the inquisitors and the jury told her to give it to him. She had no choice but to comply. She tossed it into the water rather than hand it to him and it bubbled and melted. Again, the Queen said. "A trick, any first-class witch can do."

Dora said. "And so we are at an impasse, throwing things in the water, stating that it is a trick. Neither of us will give until someone like me or one of the men you were told to kill remains alive."

The Judge said, growling. "I am tired of these games. Take off your masks so we might see your faces."

The Queen stood up and said. "There is still no proof which says I hadn't killed his men. I am the Holy Queen which is being accused. I tell you I have killed these men." The High Bishop smiled and placed the tape into the VCR. And right when the entrance hall came up, the TV sparked and went out. The moment the Holy queen said something in almost above a whisper, and a simple flick of the finger and wrist on her right hand.

The Queen smiled, thinking she had won, and Dora's smile widened as she drew a symbol of some type of magical ruin on the screen to counteract the spell the Holy Queen had placed on the TV; Jeff's help was useless as the TV crashed to the floor with a deafening bang, sending dust and debris flying. Dora said. "Oh my, aren't we in a testy mood my Queen? We don't need a video. We have brought pictures." A shrill, joyful giggle sliced through the quiet.

She quickly hands the pictures to the High Judge and said. "Your honor, I time-stamped each picture and protected it from destruction by either of us." The queen waved her hand and said words that made no sense to us as we watched the smoke lift off the pictures, but nothing more, and turning to see the look of surprise on her face, that her magic spell had backfired once more. They motioned all the men forward, starting with the men that Dora had found. He ordered the first one to take off his mask. He refused, so our inquisitors, not the Holy Queens, did it for him. Everyone gasped as the inquisitor placed the picture next to his face after sifting through them; then moved the man in front of the jury as they compared his picture to the man in front of them.

The Queen said. "This is a trick. The High Bishop could have taken the picture within these very walls, and you know there were cameras. That means absolutely nothing, and he and this so-called first-grade witch clearly tainted the proof. "

The inquisitors said. "Yes, but it seems she has proven her case nonetheless. His mind says you have ordered this man to do your bidding." The inquisitor pointed to the next man and the next one until he had run out of pictures.

The Queen's voice trembled with anger as she spoke, "More lies … and more lies. You all accepted bribes to betray me." She paused, her eyes scanning the room, filled with a mix of fury and disappointment. "So, this cockroach of a witch can take my place. This is truly his and her agenda, and I won't stand for it! Our true God, Lucifer, won't stand for it! And our Holy Prophets won't stand for it either!" Her voice grew stronger with each word, her determination clear.

"I, and we, demand their deaths!" She declared, her tone unwavering. "And nothing more needs to be said. This is a so-called experiment to change the ritual I and our God have put in place and will not change for some bleeding hearts who want something less important like love." The Queen's voice dripped with sarcasm; her disdain was clear.

"And so, they won't feel pain," she continued, her words biting. "Wake up! You worthless mongrels! Life is painful! And we, and our true God, know that without true sacrifice, it would mean nothing!" Her voice lingered in the air, a chilling reminder of her unwavering dedication to her cause.

The High Judge said as he growled. "Three times you have lied, using excuses; that you did not tell these men to do your bidding and not his! You paid these men to do it. The evidence is stacking against you, my Queen! I will give you one last chance! I will give you two hours to give us proof that these are not the men and prove any of the crimes the High Bishop has accused you of committing as we recess to go over this new information. You will have that time to do whatever you need to do. Prove yourself by sending two inquisitors and an honor guard of my choosing, not yours … for none of them cannot be trusted.

"You may not leave the school. But first I am willing to solve the problem knowing that these men are guilty. You say that the pool of water is not harmful … and that everything we have put in it is a trick. If that is the case, then this man … the first man that Dora has picked will enter the water. I'll order him to remove his clothes to eliminate any doubt about the treatment of his clothing. I also order his body to be washed with clean water.

"After that, my inquisitors have tested it, again not yours … mine, for yours cannot be trusted. If he dies, so be it. If he lives, we know it to be a trick. But if you cannot prove that evidence, we have viewed is false I will order inquisitors to kill you and cut off your head and preserve for all to see, a fallen Queen."

The Queen laughed and said. "Do as you wish," laughed the Queen, "however, I must tell you that someone completely drained the water while you were too busy chatting to notice. No water means no proof. Besides, examine the written laws. The Holy Queen may at any given time contradict any order of the High Bishop or his substrates, even at the point of death if seem to do so without cause. I felt the need because he had fallen; he deemed himself unworthy and could no longer father a child, and according to the law, once that happens, he is to be replaced."

With a raised hand, the High Bishop was about to stop her, his voice booming. "One moment," the High Bishop said sharply, his tone carrying a slight tremor of impatience that caused the Holy Queen to pause. However, the High Judge intervened, instructing him to remain quiet and allowing the Holy Queen to continue. The High Bishop nodded, his fingers tightening around Dora's hand, a gesture that betrayed his and her little secret that was far from the truth.

"Second," the Holy Queen added, "he has no wives or husbands in his name. He has killed for no other reason than to show his power. To make his point—that the boys he has brought with him had no choice but to redo the "Preparing Ritual" according to his methods, and his instruction that go against our church teachings and our Gods Lucifer's commands—he callously murdered twenty-five of my men, not his. As the Holy Queen, these men were mine to command, and their deaths were an affront to my authority. Your Lordship, I must remind you these men belong neither to him nor to you. This trial is over; I deem the new preparing ritual a failure and request that they all be killed. As it is my―"

Dora linked said. "Grab everyone's hand and everything we brought with us."

She raised her hand and into an arch, watching the shadows quickly race up the walls as if it was eating all the light in the room, hearing a loud clap at the same time the Queen said. "Kill them, kill them all," pointing to us as the lights went out. Everything went completely dark, and the alarms of the school were screaming angrily.

Dora quickly said, grabbing me and Eli to follow her. She touched each of us on the forehand and it was like a light that only we could see as the place went into a total panic. The High Judge screamed and Dora quickly added him to our group and two of the inquisitors, telling them to follow us or die by the hands of the Queen. They nodded as we quickly dodged bodies in the room and saw a light in the room as the Queen pointed to us yelling at her men to go after us.

Dora said, linking with Jeff. "Jeff, if you could create a distraction this would be a good time."

He said. "I did. Our rebels were about to capture the building. After I told them where Eric and Eli were after their monitoring devices were no longer working. Until you decided you had a better idea."

Dora linked and argued. "If you haven't noticed, they just ordered us to be killed." I couldn't wait, so stop complaining. We need to get out of here." We ducked into a room, and I cringed, seeing it was full of torture devices and a lot of mangled body parts. It smelled of death as we watched several flares of lights coming towards us.

The Queen yelled. "Search every room and every floor! They must not get away!"

Dora said to follow her as she quickly snapped her fingers and their lights went out, leaving the corridor in complete darkness. Yet we could see as if we had some sort of night vision. Dora turned, and we followed her as she led us into a corner that looked like a broom closet. The smell only got worse. As I felt something wet and cold dripping on me, I looked up, seeing the small body of a child hanging by hooks. I nearly screamed if it wasn't for Dora placing her hand over my mouth. She pushed something that gave a soft click as a hidden door opened.

She quickly ushered us inside and closed the hidden passageway, then drew her fingers over it. Hearing a loud hissing as a strange symbol burned over the door. She said, "That won't hold them for long. Not when they have our scent." We all took her word for it as she blurted. "Your clothes are in the next room. I prefer not to leave them, knowing they could use them against us like bloodhounds; that's why I sealed them. Stay here. I'll retrieve them. Don't make a sound."

We nodded as the Queen and her men pounded on the door. Dora cursed loudly as the lights came on. She said. "Jeff, I could use a little help here."

Jeff smiled and touched the outlet on the wall and the Queen cursed as the lights all went back out. "I am going to kill that whore witch! Now break down this door you stupid bruit!"

Dora said. "Time for Plan B," handing each our boxes as I carried on my lap the briefcase full of cash and the leather one. We dressed as we stopped every so often. Dora swiftly set fire to the boxes and tossed them down the garbage chute before neatly rolling up the robes and cramming them into our backpack. "We can't afford to leave anything behind."

Jeff said. "Help will be waiting once we get outside,"

Dora said, linking with him. "No Jeff, not until we get far enough away from the school. Where we can't be traced; tell them to meet us at this address. Better yet tell them nothing other than we are safe. The Queen and her men can read minds quicker than rain falls on a hot day."

Jeff nodded and blinked out to deliver the message. We followed her all over the school and down every corner, and the secret passageway she knew until we had made it outside, coming out of the sewer on some dark street. About a mile from the school, seeing the lights coming back on in the distance, she said to get into the car as she hot-wired it quickly and we drove away in silence.