Back to Atlantis by Bar Sagi (best book reader txt) 📗

she has become a frozen person, filled with cracks. I am afraid that someday she will shatter. I cannot trust someone so fragile.”

Yasmin only gaped at her. Was the queen really so fragile? Was she really ice? Then she shook her head briskly. There were more important matters to think about. “You said even the rouge army respects the mage, right?” Amanda nodded reluctantly. “So I will try to talk with them. Just give me a chance. It can’t hurt, right?” She looked pleadingly at Amanda.

Amanda sighed and turned to leave. “I’ll try, but I can’t promise anything. If they can come, they’ll come at the ball.” And with that, she left.

The ball came too fast. Yasmin waited for it with dread, and she could only hope it would be a success. At least she might be able to talk with someone from the rouge army.

Wearing a dress Amanda had loaned her, she looked at herself in the mirror. She was wearing a dress fit for a princess, in a deep purple color, floor length, and off the shoulder straps. Putting her hair up in a ponytail, she decided that at least one part of her would remain herself.

Gazing at the shadows under her eyes, Yasmin sighed. She hadn’t been sleeping well lately, because she was always so tired. And worried. Unconsciously she touched her opal necklace, drawing strength from the fact that it was protecting her until she was ready.

“Hello!” Violet said cheerfully as she poked her head in the room. She walked in, the height of beauty, as usual. Her long, floor length gown was a light blue, melding into purple in streaks of satin. Her pink hair was pinned up with lovely pearls in the elaborate design of a crown. She was wearing no makeup, but her cheeks glowed a natural red with happiness.

Violet took one look at Yasmin, then shook her head violently. “You’re not going like that, are you?” She sounded horrified.

“What’s wrong?” Yasmin asked, touching her gown defensively. “Too much?”

“That’s it!” Violet declared, pointing at Yasmin’s bed. “Sit! I suppose I have to make you the bell of the ball.” She grinned, her eyes glimmering with amusement. “Or at least make you look like you belong.”

Yasmin sat down, a bit hurt. She didn’t think she looked that bad.

“Done!” Violet said cheerfully. “And not bad either!” She dragged Yasmin over to the mirror, and grinned, putting her hands on her hips. “Ta da!”

Yasmin looked at herself in the mirror with growing horror. Had she just been subject to dress up? Violet had colored her cheeks a light pink, and her lips a beautiful shade of red. But it just wasn’t her. And her hair! Yasmin touched it subconsciously. Violet had let it down, and clipped jeweled flowers into it. The whole thing was very beautiful. She looked like a princess. And that was exactly the problem.

“Violet,” she said, turning to face a beaming Violet. “This isn’t me.”

“What do you mean?” Violet asked. “I finally made you beautiful.”

“Ouch.” Yasmin winched. “But that’s not what I meant. I look like a princess.” She glanced down at her arms. They were covered in scratches from her training. “But I’m not one.”

“Is that it?” Violet shook her head, leading Yasmin to the door. “Everyone needs to look pretty once in a lifetime, Yasmin. So just dress up and have fun! That’s why I invited the orphans. I knew you’d have fun with them.” She leaned close to Yasmin and winked. “Especially that cute Lucas.”

Yasmin felt her cheeks get warm. “He’s just a friend,” she said defensively.

“Mmmhhm.” Violet giggled evilly. Then she gasped. “We’re here!”

They entered the ballroom a bit after everyone else. This time though, it looked totally different than Yasmin had ever seen it.

The wallpaper was festive, greens and blues covered the walls. All the food on the tables in the corner looked meat free, in honor of the fact that the fruits and veggies were growing. And for once, nobody was at ease. They were divided into two clear groups: Ones who belonged in a castle and ones who didn’t. Nobles and orphans.

“Violet!” David came over, looking slightly annoyed. “Where were you? My mother’s starting to freak. This was your idea, and it’s not going well.” He spotted Yasmin and stopped talking. He blinked, a bit amazed. “What happened to you?” he asked, his voice, for once, not criticizing.

Yasmin blushed and hated herself for it. She also hated herself for noticing how handsome he looked in his suit, with his blue eyes that sparkled in the light of the chandelier above, and his sharp cheekbones. His cheekbones. She was noticing his cheekbones, for goodness sake. How the hell was that over him?!

“She needed a push.” Violet took David’s hand in her own, smiling softly up at him. He didn’t return the look, but continued to stare at Yasmin. “I gave her one.”

“Yasmin!” Lucas called from across the ballroom. He rushed over, his hair getting messier in the process. “I’ve been looking for you!”

“Lucas!” Yasmin said with some relief. “How are you?” She didn’t notice the way David’s eyes narrowed when he heard the way she said Lucas’s name.

“Awkward.” He laughed. “I don’t belong here.” But he certainly looked like he did. With a light gold suit, and freshly brushed hair, he looked better than half the nobles here by far. He came closer and took her hand.

Yasmin startled. What was going on here? But Lucas’s grip was so comfortable, and he was so relaxed, that she started to relax too. Anyway, all she really wanted was to get out of David’s glare.

“Hey!” she said, thinking of an excuse to leave. “Is Mitchel here?” She looked around, but saw no sigh of Mitchel’s shockingly red hair.

“Yes, she’s really happy.” Lucas pointed over to the food tables, where said Mitchel was gobbling up everything in sight. “She really loves the food here.”

“I want to try the food too,” Yasmin said, dragging Lucas away. “That melon looks good!”

The melon she