Return To Pandora: Book 1 in The Pandora Series by Kayla Smith

it. Zackary is etched deep into my soul. I can’t even explain how it feels. He is a part of me as much as I am a part of him.
    We walked to my house to get cleaned up and eat. After we were done eating we told our parents what we had accomplished.
     

Birthday Party
    Finally, after a long week of training and relaying our results back to our parents every day, we have arrived at my sixteenth birthday party. Apparently turning sixteen in Pandora is a big deal because I’m supposed to wear this ridiculous fluffy dress and all the guests are supposed to dress up formally as well. I tried to fight my mom against the dress, I mean seriously I look hideous in this thing.
    The dress I’m wearing is ball gown style that is too poufy for my taste with pink and blue flowing evenly around it. It’s also a halter so, on top of me not having any boobs, I now have to use what little I have to keep the dress up. My hair is done in a half up half down style with curls hanging all around my head. I feel like I should be doing this for a wedding not my damn birthday party, but what mother wants, she gets.
    It’s four o’clock and we have several people coming in and out of my room while they hurriedly finish my make up so I can make my appearance. Although I know everyone who will be attending my party I’m nervous beyond belief, mostly because all eyes will be on me while I walk into the hall.
    My mother rented this big hall and she has caterers coming and it really is like a wedding, I don’t understand what the fuss is about. When they were finished with me, I got up and looked into the mirror. I couldn’t believe my eyes, I looked like, well like a Princess. This has to be the first time I actually feel like one since being told I was one. On top of my head is a tiara and if it was before all of this chaos I would have thought it wasn’t real, but now I believe it is real, this is my coming out party. The day I’m supposed to come into my powers and start learning how to be Queen one day. Well I guess I’ve figured out why this is such a big deal.
    My mom came in as I was admiring my view in the mirror and I caught her eyes moistening with tears before she could stop herself.
    “Wow, Princess Jacquelyn,” she said to me and I could see and sense how proud she was of me at that moment in time.
    I could feel my cheeks flush, but I wasn’t sure she could see it with all this make up on my face.
    I curtsied to her and she smiled at me sweetly before saying, “It’s time. You are to be announced to everyone out there as Princess Jacquelyn of Pandora. You are going to lead our people to Pandora and get our Kingdom back. You are the one they are all going to look towards for guidance and you need to give it to them. Even if you have lost faith, don’t ever let them see you falter. Stay strong and only cry in private, because from here on out, you will be looked upon by our followers.”
    All I could do was nod my head. Holy cow mother, way to make me more nervous than I already was.
    “Zackary?” I asked her. “Can he at least walk in there with me? I don’t want to trip in front of everyone, he’s my anchor.”
    She knew exactly what I meant and she nodded her head. “He will be addressed as your personal solider and don’t correct them,” she said sternly.
    I didn’t care as long as he was walking with me and helping in case I was to trip.
    She left me alone while she went to get Zack and I was relieved to be completely alone even if it was only for a minute. I heard a knock on the door and he opened it slightly and walked in.
    He eyed me and his mouth hung open as if he’d never seen me before. “If I didn’t know any better I would think you were replaced by another version of yourself. You look hot!” He said stating what he was thinking. “You are starting to look the part of a Princess.” He said sounding a little upset about it.
    “I’m still me! Just because they dressed me up and made me up with all