Back to Atlantis

something off-putting about him. He didn’t have the air of a royal, not like Amanda or Violet or David.
Yasmin held back a shiver as his cold eyes raked hers, like she was a toy. He looked bored, and Jasper was leaning against his chair, feet on the table.
Yasmin couldn’t believe it. Was the fact that he was away from the palace so often the reason he was like this? Cold and disturbing? Even though Prince Jasper lived in the palace, he was rarely there.
“Yasmin,” Gloriana said. Her clear voice breaking the surprised silence in the room. She looked in control as usual, not a hair out of place. “What are you doing here?”
“I heard you were talking about me,” Yasmin said, walking toward the queen, who looked angry. “May I be included?”
“No.” The queen’s reply was absolute. She stood up, walking toward Yasmin, who gasped.
For once the queen wasn’t wearing a dress. She was wearing a business suit with a skirt, but still. Was this normal? “We have important things to discuss, and you are too young and immature to be a part of them.” She glared at Yasmin. “You don’t seem to be taking this seriously! The attacks have been increasing ever since you got here, a desperate attempt by the rebels, I suppose, and you have done nothing! And what’s more, you have refused to learn magic! What use are you if you can’t bring hope to the kingdom by defeating the rebels?”
Yasmin wasn’t about to answer that. She had talked with Amanda a few days ago, and Amanda wanted to make sure the rouge army were sure they were willing to work with the queen before even telling the queen that the rouge army existed.
Glaring back at the queen, she felt her words ebb away. From the kingdom’s point of view, she was giving up. But she wasn’t. She was fighting fire with water, instead of with fire.
But were the attacks really increasing ever since she had gotten here? Was it her fault? Yasmin couldn’t help but feel a stab of guilt. If only she had been better at magic, if only she could do her job. People needed her, and she let them down. Time after time.
Unable to say anything, Yasmin spun on her heel and left the room, making the queen narrow her eyes in triumph. Unable to bear being the center of attention, Yasmin fled to the library.
Running across the hallway this time, dodging maids and servants and everybody else, Yasmin closed her eyes to hold back the hot tears coming to the surface.
Why can’t I be good at magic? Yasmin thought. Feeling warm tears slide down her cheeks, she brushed them away. Why do so many people have to get hurt? Why don’t I have the power to stop them? Maybe Abby should have been the mage. She was more powerful than I ever was. I only won because of that stupid sword.
Grabbing a random door, Yasmin flung it open and ran outside, just to get away. Sitting down on the grass, she finally collapsed, letting herself wallow in the self-pity and pain she had been holding back, knowing she needed to be strong, for Atlantis. But now it didn’t matter. Because all she did was fail.
I wish Lucas was here, Yasmin thought. He would probably make a joke that would make me feel a whole lot better. I just wish…
Hiccupping, she kept crying, letting out every pain. Yasmin stopped lying to herself.
I miss David. Yasmin admitted to herself. No matter how hard I try, he keeps popping up. I just can’t let go of the person I fell in love with. Even if it was just a lie.
Lucas’s face popped into her mind, laughing at a joke she made, but Yasmin pushed it away. She wanted to feel pain. She wanted to feel as bad as the citizens of Atlantis did, the ones who had been tormented for years. She didn’t deserve to feel happiness.
David probably hates me now. She told herself, remembering all the mean words he had said. I guess I was never anything but a tool for him, was I? But if he’s so good at pretending, can I really trust any royal? Is Amanda really my friend? And what about Violet? Does she really care about me? Or is it my magic they’re aiming for?
Why does it matter? I’ve come willingly to a land where all they see is someone who can save them. A faceless hero. The mage. I wish I never would have had magic. Then I never would have met David and fallen in love, and suffered so much. I just would have been at home, stressing about tests, not about saving a country.
Yasmin chuckled dryly. A year ago, she would have done anything to have magic, to be special. But now she saw the price of magic. And it was deep.
“Yasmin?” David’s voice sounded behind her.
Yasmin buried her face in her knees, not wanting David to see her like this. “Go away,” she said.
“No,” David replied, sitting beside her. Yasmin turned away from him. “You can’t give up now. The kingdom needs you. You’re the mage.” He didn’t sound mean, for once. He sounded… familiar.
“I don’t want to be.”
“You don’t have a choice,” David said, his voice hard. “You think because your magic is a bit out of control, that you’re the only one who has suffered? This kingdom has suffered for years, and it needs you desperately.”
“No,” Yasmin said, ripping up grass. “It needs my magic desperately. And all I’ve done is hurt Atlantis.”
“You’re not hurting Atlantis.” David clenched his hand in a fist. “And you’re not the only one who has suffered, Yasmin. You knew it wouldn’t be easy when you came here.”
“But I didn’t think I would go through it alone.” Yasmin felt tears slipping down her cheeks again.
David looked at her in surprise. “You are not alone.”
“I am, David,” Yasmin said. “Ever since you left me, ever since you lied