"You're very special, Callisto."

The words were soft, comforting. But the person, the monstrous woman that was stroking Callisto's hair, was anything but. Ten-year-old Callisto shivered against the older woman's touch. The woman, who had somehow become Callisto's caregiver only a few hours ago, carried an air of fear and hostility with her, and it was a terrifying combination.

"One day, you're going to rule the Kingdom."

Callisto crushed that internal fear deep within her chest, and forced herself to take in a deep breath. "I don't want to kill my sisters," she admitted, her voice too soft, too gentle.

"Of course you don't," the woman crooned, "but you will. And when the day comes, their corpses will look like victory."

The woman was a monster, Callisto was sure of that. And she was insane in a way that Callisto had never believed possible. Already, it felt as if she and her sisters had been separated for years, even though it had only been a few hours since the four of them were forced out of the cottage, where they were raised together for the first ten years of life. Now, they were separated, each Queenling sent to their respective House. Which was why she and Selena were not currently outside, watching the night sky; instead, Callisto was here, in a too cold house with a too cold woman.

"It is time for you to go to bed," the monster of a woman told Callisto, her smile gaping wide like a snarl of a wolf, "but first, drink a glass of milk."

The woman handed her a glass, and it was full of a too-white liquid, far too white to be milk. But the woman held malice in her gaze, so Callisto took the glass, and drank it.

"There," the woman beamed, her teeth glowing brightly in the firelight, "don't you feel better?"

Callisto didn't, but there was no way for her to tell that to the monster. So she stayed silent, and followed the woman up the stairs, where a large bed was waiting.

"Sweet dreams," the woman growled before casting Callisto's room into complete darkness.

Callisto shivered alone in the darkness, aching for the company of her sisters, but despite the hope, she remained alone. The darkness seeped around her, too cold and distant to be a friend. She fought the desperate urge to cry, and instead buried her head beneath the blankets. Eventually, Callisto fell asleep, unable to tolerate her own loneliness.

• • •

The Sun was shining brightly, casting a bright glow over the grassy ground. The air was warm, a caressing breeze brushing past Callisto.

Pure bliss settled over Callisto as she saw the familiar brooke that babbled alongside the cottage. Selena, young and beautiful, was standing before it, her face screwed up in concentration.

"What are you doing?" Callisto asked, a smile tearing across her face as Selena's concentration was broken. The other girl frowned, but it evaporated almost immediately.

"Callisto!" Selena cried in happiness, "I've missed you!"

And Selena tore across the grass that separated them, her barefoot feet slapping hard against the Earth. She pounced on Callisto, wrapping her in a powerful hug.

"I wasn't gone that long, silly," Callisto teased, squeezing her sister back.

Selena looked up at her, and for the first time, Callisto noticed how tall she was; Selena only came up to a little above her waist. But Callisto was only a few inches taller than her sister.

Selena's blue eyes were wide as she said, "I've heard so many stories about you, Callisto."

Dread settled deep within Callisto's stomach. "What kind of stories, waterbug?"

Selena cocked her head to the side, her young face breaking into a smile. "You want to be Queen, don't you?"

Callisto shrugged, in the way she always did when asked that question. "You know I don't, Selena. I'd rather it be you, or Cressida, or Nova. Or all of us."

Selena giggled, "you know that can't happen, Cal. It can only be one of us. The strongest one. Do you want to know a secret?"

Callisto didn't. "Why don't we just go play by the brooke? Where's Cressida and Nova?"

Selena giggled again. "Of course you want to know a secret! I'll tell it to you." And Selena stood on her tiptoes, reaching up to whisper something in Callisto's ear. "You're a monster, sister." She pulled away, smiling.

"What?" was all Callisto could say. The air had grown cold, and there was something horribly wrong with the way Selena was looking at her. And were those eyes staring back at her from within the forest?

"You're a monster," Selena repeated in a singsong voice. "But that's okay. I forgive you for killing me."

Callisto's heart skipped a beat. No, no, this wasn't right. This wasn't possible, Callisto had left the cottage, and so had Selena. They couldn't be here. Selena was alive, and so was Callisto.

"I didn't kill you," Callisto managed to say through her throat clenching up, "you're still alive."

The sky was dark now, and the air was saturated with a chill. The brooke didn't babble; it roared.

"But you will kill me. And you'll kill the only person I love. And you'll kill my House, and my people. You'll kill everyone because you're a monster."

"I'm not a monster," Callisto sputtered. "And I'm not going to kill you."

The Sun had stopped shining at some point, causing dark clouds to gather above the two sisters. And the air had grown cold, leaving Callisto to shiver against every small breeze.

"You don't have to listen to me," Selena smiled, "just look."

So Callisto looked.

And she saw death staring back at her.

There was Selena, several years older, laying on the ground. Her blue eyes were opened, but they were staring at nothing. A bloody line decorated her throat, blood soaking the front of her dress. Dead.

There was Nova, falling onto her knees beside a red-haired woman, who was completely still. An arrow stuck out of the woman's chest, and Nova cradled her head carefully. Tears and blood stained her face as Nova hugged the lifeless woman. Dead.

There was Cressida, her golden hair fanning behind her. She appeared unharmed, but her eyes were opened and unmoving, staring at something that Callisto could not see. Dead.

There was a young woman who was beautiful. She had a knife sticking out of her heart, piercing through her dark skin. Her eyes were wide, and her mouth shaped like she had been in the middle of a word before she had been killed. Dead.

And there were more, remaining in the shadows where Callisto couldn't make out their faces. But the stench of blood was suffocating,

"Look, Callisto," Selena whispered, "this is your legacy. Blood and destruction and death. This is what you will be known for."

A sharp pain exploded from Callisto's heart, and her hand flew to her chest, gasps ripping themselves out of her throat. Her chest was leaking blood, the color of it so very dark and heavy.

Nauseated, Callisto whipped her gaze back to Selena. Had Selena's eyes always been completely white? No, no, this wasn't real, none of this could be real.

"You are Hellas-marked," not-Selena said, her mouth a gaping grin, "and you are Hellas-cursed. Her demons are your demons, and they will always follow you. Even the goddess of wicked death and destruction has taken a notice of your own darkness."

"No," was all Callisto could say. The ground was frozen beneath her feet, a thick layer of snow hiding the lush grass that laid beneath. Her breath was coming in short pants now, and her chest was still bleeding out. "No."

Not-Selena's eyes glowed brighter as the young girl's delicate, pale hand reached out for Callisto. But she was frozen still; Callisto couldn't move as not-Selena laid a hand on her head.

Callisto screamed violently as agony rolled through her. Not-Selena laughed before turning away, leaving the Queenling behind to bleed out in the snow.

Hellas-marked, the wind whispered to a shaking Callisto, and Hellas-cursed.

And Callisto was.

• • •