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

“They have a handy spell on them, which from anyone outside its range can only hear babble. No one can overhear us.”

“Okay. I guess I’d better get packing then,” Yasmin said, walking off, while thinking of who she could bring along. Who could she bring really, but Lucas? But would he be willing, because their communication had been off in the last few weeks. She hoped so, because saying that anyone else was her boyfriend just felt wrong.

That afternoon, she made up her mind and decided to invite Lucas along. He could always say no, she thought, as she called the orphanage line.

The plump Ms. Daisy picked up on the second ring, sounding surprised when she realized who was calling. “Yasmin? Are you calling for Lucas?”

“Yes,” she said, feeling more nervous with each passing moment.

“Lucas!” She heard Ms. Daisy call from the phone, and wrenched her ear away from it, winching slightly. “You’ve got a caller!”

“Um, hi, who is it?” Came Lucas’s slightly nervous voice a few moments later. He sounded tired, like he hadn’t been sleeping well lately.

“Yasmin.” She swallowed hard and continued. “The rebels are trying to set fire to Meldon town, and I am going in hopes of stopping them. Part of the alibi is that I need to bring a boyfriend, I thought of you.” The second the words were out of her mouth, she winced at how bad they sounded. Lucas, however, laughed drily.

“Is this your way of asking me on a date, Yasmin?”

“Well, if you like holding hands while trying to stop a fire, then yes.” She nearly laughed with relief.

“How did you know?” he asked, sounding touched. Yasmin laughed. “When is it?”

“Tomorrow morning. Thank you,” Yasmin said, trying to express her relief.

“Don’t thank me,” Lucas said, and hung up.

Yasmin stared at the phone for several long minutes, wondering what had started this un-Lucas-like behavior. Then, shrugging, she went to pack.

That night, she dreamed of the cold, dark castle where she had heard the beast more than once. He was speaking in low tones to someone she couldn’t make out.

“So you say our useless spy might finally have his uses after all?” he asked in his deep voice. “Good. Give him his new orders, and have him ready. Our plan is finally coming together, after all this time.”

Chapter 21

Enemies and Alibis

They were sitting in a meeting room, waiting for Lucas. Yasmin was sitting in an ornate carved chair by the window, glad the drapes covered the windows, and kept it from being too bright. It was chilly in the morning, but quite foggy outside.

“So what you’ll be doing is driving all the way to Rudyard, where a noble family is hosting a ball for the coming-of-age of their youngest daughter, Mackenzie. It’s in two days, but you are supposedly arriving early to congratulate them.” Amanda paused and glanced at Yasmin, who wasn’t really paying attention. “Understand everything so far?”

Yasmin grunted. It was too early in the morning for this. Lucas was on his way, and she was falling asleep in her chair as it was.

“From Rudyard you’ll be portalling to Meldon, and hopefully by then most of the town will be portalled out. We can’t portal you directly to Rudyard because every speck of magic is needed to portal an entire town away.”

Yasmin yawned, getting up and giving Amanda a half-hearted grin. “Don’t worry about me. I’m just a power vacuum.”

“That was your choice,” Amanda reminded her, even though she was smiling. “Good luck! You’ll be meeting with David and Violet soon to go with you.”

Yasmin sat bolt upright, suddenly wide awake. “David’s coming?!” She couldn’t keep the annoyance from her voice.

“Yes, Lady Reagan of Blaxton is an old friend of his. It would spread rumors if he wasn’t at her party. Plus, he wanted to help.” Amanda yawned too. She had been up all night double checking and triple checking everything.

“Oh, great!” Yasmin grumbled. “Can we at least be in separate cars?” Yasmin asked as she drank scolding hot tea that a maid had brought over, nearly spitting it out when it burned her tongue.

“Um, you leave in thirty minutes, so no.”

“You are a wicked, evil person, making me be in the same car as my ex.” Yasmin had to refrain herself from adding: And my kind of, sort of boyfriend who has been avoiding me ever since our first date.

Just then, Lucas rushed in, looking lost. Yasmin couldn’t blame him, remembering the first time she had come to the castle and it looked like something out of a fairytale.

“Your highness,” he said, bowing to Amanda, who acknowledged him by tilting her head in his direction, her face once more a mask.

“Lucas Ashtown. We are very glad to have your assistance in this dire time. Thank you for volunteering to assist Yasmin the mage in stopping the rebels. Do not fear for your safety, for you will have a graduate of the Magic Academy, Gloriana, and his highness, Prince David, to protect you, not including the mage herself.”

Amanda gestured to Yasmin, who was trying to meet Lucas’s eyes. He was avoiding eye contact, looking drawn and pale.

He looked like he had lost ten pounds since they had last seen each other.

“Now, you are not to fight any rebels unless it is for self-defense. We shall be teleporting battle spellcasters into the town, to fight the rebels and capture hostages. We need their information.” Amanda paused to make sure Lucas understood everything. “Is there something you don’t understand?”

Yasmin could literally see the gears turning in Lucas’s head. He seemed uncomfortable here, out of place. But he shook his head, and met Amanda’s eyes squarely. “I understood everything. When do we leave?”

“In five minutes,” Amanda said, glancing at her watch. “By this afternoon you should be in the town. The attack is supposed to happen sometime today. We have been evacuating people since dawn, but we will only finish around five. That’s when you’ll take a portal to the town, hopefully to catch them