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

pissed that you had me again, I think my rage set it off,” I said to her as I finally got the fire to stop coming out of my hands.
    “Jackie, you need to be more careful with that power of yours, you could seriously hurt someone when you’re not trying to. What if you didn’t scream at me to duck?” She asked me seriously. Then she said, “I’d probably be a burnt piece of toast by now.”
    She sounded more like a mentor than an enemy in that moment. Maybe I underestimated her and her intentions, but I still felt like I couldn’t completely trust her and I’m not sure if I’m bothered by that in a good way or bad way. Only time would tell I guess.
    I nodded my head at her and started towards the river behind the warehouse. I sat on the edge and let my feet dangle over the side. I called the water to come up so I could wet my hands and rub the water over my face. It relaxed me more than I thought it would. I’m one with nature. I heard that before in a movie and now I am sure it is directed towards me. I control all the elements, I could probably make it rain right now if I wanted to, but I don’t know how that works yet. 
    I felt Olivia sit near me and I felt awkward with her observing me with my abilities, but I didn’t stop. The water rushing over my now bare feet was more soothing than I could explain.
    “You are exactly like your father, you know. He loved being around the water the most, especially after he used fire. He said it was like a calming medicine that he couldn’t get anywhere else. After a battle or a particularly long day of training using his ability to manipulate the elements around him he always took refuge in a quiet place by a lake or river. So to see you here reminds me of what I’m fighting for. I’m fighting for my brother and I’m fighting to have a life I was deprived of for so many years,” she paused and looked at me as if weighing whether or not to tell me what she was going to tell me. “Your mother may have made you believe that I am the bad guy in all of this, but I assure you that I am far from it. I just want my twin back and to be a part of your life. I have missed so much of it already, I don’t want to miss any more. I completely understand that I will need to gain your trust and believe me when I say I will do everything in my power to gain that trust from you, even if it means dying for you.”
    I didn’t know what to say to that, I just couldn’t bring myself to say anything. I mean seriously my long lost aunt comes to me after sixteen years of ignoring me and now I’m supposed to just open my arms and take her in after everything my mother said she did to my father. I know she said he is still alive, but can I actually believe that? Can I come to trust her and love her the way I want to? Deep down, like way deep down in my bones I know I can, but there is still this stubborn part of me that keeps saying not to. I have to listen to that part for now, because it has never steered me wrong before.
    “Ok, I will let you earn my trust. For starters you can try and teach me how to control the fire that erupted out of my hands. From my understanding I need fire around me to manipulate it and there wasn’t any. It came out of my hands!” I said staring at them as if they had a weird disease or something.
    Olivia just laughed at my disgusted look and said, “Don’t worry, I’ll help you.”
    From there on out I believed I had just made friends with the enemy. Only time would tell, but I hoped to God that she wasn’t the one who gave away my father and his friends because we would definitely not have the element of surprise. If she did, it would mean we would all be walking into our own demise.
    We went back into the warehouse for a break and found the others doing the same. I grabbed a bottle of water and an energy bar and sat next to Zack. I tried to tell him everything that happened to me and Olivia outside without anyone hearing, but that seemed futile since