Steel Princess (Royal Elite 2)

The slight wrinkles ease at the corner of her eyes. “I’m lucky to have them, especially my Aiden.”

I straighten in my seat. This is my opening. “He went through a lot when he was a child.” I pause, then add. “Levi told me.”

Sorrow covers her features as she slows down cutting the potatoes. “He didn’t talk much.”

“Why not?”

“He was a lonely child. He spent his days in the library with Alicia.” She scoffs. “When she was out of her room.”

I lean closer, cradling the hot cup between my cold fingers. “Was he close to his mother?”

“Unfortunately, yes.”

“Why unfortunately?”

“Because her madness rubbed off on him.” Her lips twist. “He’s never been the same since she was locking herself up with him in the library reading crazy books about crazy people.”

“Crazy book

s?”

She throws her hand in the air. “Philosophy and psychology rubbish.”

I frown. Those aren’t crazy books, but I don’t correct her. I can’t get into an argument with her if I want to keep her talking.

“Alicia was never normal anyway.” Margo watches her surroundings before she leans in to whisper, “I heard from one of her friends that she suffered from depression after an accident. She was out with her friends and they all died except for her. She was been the same since then.”

Survivor’s guilt.

I heard about that. Hell, If my nightmares are of any indication, then I might even be suffering from it myself.

“Was that before she got married?” I ask.

“Yes.”

Still. Alicia got married and had Aiden, so she couldn’t have been that bad, right?

“There were a lot of tragic events in her life, so I tried to understand, I really did.” Margo chops the potatoes harder. “But she shouldn’t have brought Aiden to the world if she was going to be a zombie most of the time.”

“Tragic events?” I ask.

“Yes, her father was a lord, but he was abusive. Her mother committed suicide because of that and I think, I’m not sure, he continued to beat Alicia until she got married.”

My heart swells for the woman I only saw through the picture. The petite, quiet-looking woman.

So basically, Alicia was a mentally unwell person. I’m curious why Jonathan would marry her. I’m sure he knew her past. These types of families do an extensive background check about the ones they’re going to marry.

Jonathan King doesn’t strike me as the kind of man who’d marry Alicia. His type loves the perfect housewives with perfect everything, don’t they?

“Was it an arranged marriage?” I ask Margo.

“No. Mr King chose her himself.”

Oh.

Maybe he did love her. But well, I find it hard to believe that Jonathan would love anyone. He doesn’t even seem like he loves his own son.

This needs more digging.