Chapter 72 It has started

Chapter 72 It has started
~Kael~ 
I sat at the head of the meeting hall and listened to the voices bouncing off the stone walls while my eyes remained fixed on the map spread across the table before me. The morning sun poured in through the high windows, but it did nothing to ease the tension hanging over the room. Every noble present stood instead of sitting. Nobody was relaxed. Nobody was smiling.
They all knew something had changed.
One of the older nobles shook his head thoughtfully. "There would not be a war anymore, at least for now after what they heard happened to those men that attacked Her Majesty."
Another immediately disagreed. "We cannot rely on fear alone. They know they now have to find a weak point to attack her."
"The news of the weapon strong enough to kill her has spread across the nation," another man added. "It is only a matter of time before others try to recreate it."
"The only reason we are yet to be under attack is because of the Queen. They are afraid. Let us feed on that fear."
Arguments flew across the room. Some wanted to strengthen our borders. Some wanted to launch preemptive attacks. Others wanted to send more letters and attempt peace once more.
I barely heard any of them.
All I could think about was Elira. Nobody in this room had seen her wake up screaming in my arms.
Nobody had watched her cry over the lives of men who had come to murder her. Nobody had seen the fear in her eyes when she stared at her own hands and called herself a monster.
To everyone else, the Queen had become a weapon.
To me, she was my wife and she was hurting.
I raised my head and Immediately, silence fell. Every noble lowered his head.
"We have spies in these kingdoms, don't we?" I asked.
"We do, Your Majesty."
"Since the visit to Silvercrest, the remaining kingdoms have been oddly quiet," another noble reported. "No meetings between kings have been recorded."
I nodded slowly. "Then perhaps they are no longer our greatest concern."
The men exchanged looks.
"If they become a threat, then we will be ready. We have three kingdoms standing with us. If they want war, they will get war, just as they always have. But not until they make the first move."
I stood from my seat. "We prepare, watch and wait." My voice hardened. "And then we attack."
The room bowed in obedience.
"What we should focus on right now is finding out who the hell sent those men after my queen, how they knew where she would be, and where the fuck that weapon came from."
I looked around the room. "We have a bigger enemy now. One we do not understand. And if we are not careful, we would be swallowed whole by this new whale. I am not going to let that happen."
Nobody spoke after this. They simply bowed in understanding.
I dismissed the meeting and walked out first.
Their heads remained lowered until I disappeared from sight.

Drex's room wasn't far. So I took a turn towards it. His door was slightly open and I entered without knocking and found him shirtless in the middle of his chambers.
He had tied a thick rope around a stone pillar and was performing resistance pulls with it, his muscles flexing as he leaned backward and used all his strength to pull against the tension. Sweat covered his body and his breathing was steady despite the strain.
The fool was supposed to be resting.
He immediately stopped and bowed. "My King."
Then he grabbed his shirt.
I sighed. "Relax. I'm not here to inspect your body."
That earned the faintest smile from him. He slipped his shirt on and stood straight.
"How are you feeling?"
"I am ready to return to work." he answered firmly. 
I shook my head. "Sit."
He obeyed without questions. 
I sat opposite him. "I want you to tell me about that night."
His expression changed immediately. Before he nodded. "We left Alpha Ryker's settlement and started heading home. At first, it was quiet. Her Majesty and I spoke about the kingdoms and the treaty."
He stared ahead, almost reliving the memory.
"Then she suddenly sat upright. Her eyes started glowing."
I frowned. "So bright?"
Drex nodded. "It startled me."
"Then we heard movement in the woods. I drew my sword and told her to remain in the cart."
His jaw tightened. "They came out in numbers. I tried to fight them off, but they ignored me. They kept trying to get to the cart."
His eyes widened slightly. "There were too many. Then Her Majesty came out."
A small smile touched my lips.
"She fought beautifully." His own lips curved slightly. "That she did. I have never seen anyone move like that. She used only her hands. She avoided those strange weapons with incredible precision."
My chest swelled with pride. Of course she did.
"Then more of them arrived. She came beside me and our backs pressed together. We were surrounded."
His voice dropped. "And then..."
He swallowed. "Her feet left the earth."
My smile disappeared.
"Her eyes shone like the moon itself. At that moment, I lost control of my whole body. I couldn't move and my knees gave out. I fell on my kness to the earth."
He stared into nothing. "I couldn't stop looking at her. I didn't want to. I wanted to remain there."
That word disturbed me, but I let him continue.
His voice had become distant.
"She was beautifully terrifying, and I didn't care. At that moment, I know I would have done anything she asked."
I felt shiver run through me as I listened. I couldn’t imagine loosing control like that in front of anyone, not even Elira. 
Drex blinked. "That is all I remember. The next thing I know is that I woke up in my room."
I sighed. "There is no difference between your story and hers. I was hoping you would have something different to help me understand this whole ordeal."
Drex frowned. "Isn't this a good thing? The enemy stands no chance."
I shook my head. "No. You didn't see the bodies of those men. You passed out before it happened."
His expression changed after hearing this. 
"The things she did…" I stopped myself. "No." I shook my head. She wasn't herself. And I fear she doesn't have as much control as we thought."
Drex remained quiet and then he said softly, "She didn't kill me."
I looked up. "She could have." I said in a low tone. 
"But she didn't. That means something, doesn't it?" He asked. 
I nodded with a sigh. "It does."
Before I could speak again, someone knocked.
"Your Majesty," a guard called from outside the door. "The blacksmith is here."
I rose immediately and headed to the door. Drex hurried to grab his uniform.
"You can rest for today."
He shook his head. "I am fine, Your Majesty."
Of course he was. This time, I didn’t stop me. As much as I couldn’t admit out loud, I missed him being next to me everywhere I went. 
We stepped outside together.
The blacksmith bowed nervously.
"Walk with me," I ordered and he obeyed. Drex walked behind us.
"Tell me what you found." I said to him. 
The old man swallowed. "The metal matches nothing I have ever seen. It doesn't match anything in Valerith. Nor any kingdom known to us."
I frowned. Drex exchanged a look with me.
"So it fell from the sky?" My patience wore thin. "Who made the weapon? That is what I want to hear."
The blacksmith's face had turned pale.
"It isn't who made it, Your Majesty." "It is what made it."
I stopped walking. "What?"
His hands trembled. "The channels inside the blade aren't forged. They are grown."
I froze. "What?"
"The metal itself is alive."
My eyes narrowed. "What nonsense are you saying?"
Drex suddenly stopped behind us. The sound of his boots scraping against the floor made me turn.
He stood frozen and his eyes had become completely empty.
"Drex?"
He didn't answer.
"Drex."
His breathing became shallow. And in no time, the color drained from his face.
The blacksmith stepped back fearfully. "My King…"
Drex's eyes slowly rolled upward, and then his entire body went limp. He collapsed heavily onto the floor.
"Drex!" I rushed forward immediately.
His body convulsed once before it stopped moving.
My blood froze.  "Drex!"
And behind me, I heard the blacksmith whisper in terror.
"Oh gods… It has started."