Steel Princess (Royal Elite 2)

The place where he used to stand is empty.

How could he disappear so fast?

Not that I care.

Nope. Not one bit.

Kim and Knox go into class, chatting amongst each other.

I’m left with Ronan punching the air and telling me that it’s the quote of the century.

“Be quiet for a second, Astor,” Cole cuts off his animated speech.

“Seriously, Captain. Stop killing my vibe.”

Cole ignores him and meets my gaze with eyes so icy, they’re more chilling than the outside air. “I’ll tell you something to think very carefully about.”

I swallow and nod. Cole was never threatening. Hell, he was always the one I felt more comfortable around.

The change of attitude is disturbing, to say the least.

“King’s silence is worse than his words.” He pauses. “You don’t want him silent.”

“I second that,” Ronan says in a semi-serious tone. “If King’s silent then it means he’s trapped in that fucked up head of his.”

My spine jerks upright as if someone tugged on it.

I kind of knew that, but hearing it from Aiden’s closest friends makes it an immediate reality.

Ronan and Cole walk with me towards the class. I pause at the entrance and search for Aiden.

He’s sitting by the window, staring into the distance, appearing to have cut connection with his immediate environment.

Lost in his own world.

What’s on your mind?

Why is no one allowed in there?

“Isn’t it Frozen?” An annoying voice smashes through my thoughts.

“Cut it out, Silver,” Cole grits out at his bitchy step-sister.

She doesn’t even spare him a glance and levels me with a haughty glare. “I heard you almost drowned. Who was your knight in shining armour?”

I meet her with maliciousness of my own. “Was it you?”

“Was I what?”

I narrow my eyes on her. She was talking with Jonathan at the time, so she couldn’t have pushed me, but I lost sense of time from the car park to the pool. It could’ve been minutes. It could’ve been more. She could’ve had the perfect time to push me into the pool.

She leans in to whisper, “The whole show at the party was pathetic, by the way. King was never yours to dump.”

“Screw you, Silver.”

“Oh, I’ll be doing more than screwing now that you’re out of the picture.” She straightens and flips her golden locks of hair over her shoulder. “Thanks but no thanks.”

She pushes past Cole and waltzes to her seat like a queen to her throne.