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

“Now, now, Rosetta,” Amanda said soothingly, putting a hand on Rosetta’s shoulder gently. “Don’t you have a nanny? She can play with you. Yasmin and I are doing important stuff. We’re busy.”

“You’re always busy!” Rosetta whined, her eyes filling with tears. It looked like an act. “I’m the princess! I want to play!”

And she burst into the fakest round of tears Yasmin had ever seen, with big, sad sobs, and wailing.

Personally, Yasmin wanted to shut her ears, but this was Amanda’s sister. It would be rude to shut her ears.

Rosetta turned to Yasmin with an upset look on her face as her gaze swept up and down her body. Yasmin felt annoyed and strangely exposed. She wasn’t a doll, standing there to be gawked at!

“You’ll do,” she said finally, calming down in an instant.

Grabbing Yasmin’s hand, she began to drag her away. “You can be my new doll. You need a lot of work.” She made it sound like Yasmin was dressed in rags.

“Rosetta…” began Amanda, but Yasmin had had enough.

Yasmin tore her arm out of Rosetta’s grip and put her hands on her hips, glaring at the little princess.

“You’re bring very rude!” she said, looking at the indignant look on Rosetta’s face. “Just because you’re a princess does not mean you can do whatever you want, Rosetta!” She saw Rosetta’s bottom lip quiver and sighed with annoyance.

“Crying won’t help!” Yasmin said, just as Rosetta burst into tears again. “I don’t have time to play dress up! I may not be in school but I still have homework! And three tests coming up…” Yasmin rubbed her head. How had she gotten into this?

“You’re mean!” Rosetta said as she ran from the grass. “I’m gonna tell mother!” She turned around and stuck her tongue out at Yasmin. “She’s gonna behead you!”

Yasmin and Amanda sighed simultaneously and looked at the hallway, where several maids were comforting the princess.

“I’ll talk to her,” Amanda said, glancing at Yasmin. “She has to realize that she can’t treat people this way, but mother hasn’t found a nanny that Rosetta hasn’t been able to bribe or fire. Because of that, she’s become spoiled.”

Yasmin smirked and shook her head, feeling sorry for Amanda. Sort of.

“Anyway,” Amanda said, straightening and giving Yasmin a tired smile. “You’ll be the first person I tell as soon as I get news of the rebels, all right?”

“Sounds great,” Yasmin said, grinning slyly. “And good luck with Maven!” She grinned evilly at Amanda, who, interestingly enough, turned a bright shade of pink.

“I… gotta go.” Amanda rushed from the grass as fast as her legs would carry her, leaving Yasmin behind, fighting to keep a straight face.

As soon as Amanda was out of sight, Yasmin burst out laughing. “That woman is even more innocent than I am!” She kept giggling all the way to her room.

When she got there, she opened the windows, pulled on a sweater, and pulled out her books. It was time for serious studying. She had a feeling that her studying time would be cut short soon.

***

David lay on his king sized bed, looking up at the stars. Not real stars, of course, glow in the dark stars that a servant had put up there years ago, when he had been scared to sleep alone.

Stretching this way and that, he tried to become comfortable. But try as he might to get comfortable on the amazingly good mattress, he couldn’t relax. He just didn’t belong here in the castle, not since his father had died.

He hadn’t really been happy since then, unless you counted the ten months he was in Israel. That had been the best time of his life, with no cruel, bullying brother, and no cold mother. He hated those two… hated them so much partly because he was afraid of them.

He hated his mother most of all. Clenching his hand into a fist, he wondered not for the first time why he couldn’t just tell her no for once. Everything she wanted, he did, like a robot. It was humiliating, and not to mention, horrible.

And why hadn’t Amanda told him about the rouge army? She was his sister, wasn’t she? She was the one who had taught him about this castle, backward and forward, and the one who had become a second mother to him when his father died. He thought they didn’t keep things like this secret. And yet apparently, she did.

And Yasmin being the peace maker! David had only heard what his tutor had told him, that a treaty was being set up, and the rouge army was promising to find the rebels soon. The queen, in return, promised to send her army to evacuate everyone and protect the town.

Why does she have to be here? David thought, not for the hundredth time. Why can’t Yasmin be at home, far away from all of this… war. I just wish she was safe.

Scolding himself for a moment of weakness, he thought. And if wishes were stars, no one could see the nights.

Turning around, he closed his eyes...

Chapter 20

The new mission

Yasmin was just finishing up for the day, putting her homework away and getting ready for bed. She couldn’t believe how much time had flown by.

It was now March 27, and she still hadn’t had a chance to see Lucas. It was crazy! But lately, whenever she went to the orphanage, he wasn’t there. It was starting to feel like he was avoiding her.

No way! Yasmin thought, clutching her pillow to her chest. Lucas wouldn’t do that! He looked miserable the other day! Something is probably very wrong.

Feeling slightly guilty and relived, Yasmin sat on her bed. Thanks to her treacherous thoughts she was now wide awake. She would get some sleep later.

The next morning, Yasmin sat up, yawning so hard her jaw creaked. She hadn’t managed to get to sleep until one in the morning, she was now exhausted. Changing out of her pajamas, she got