Prologue:

The day everything changed was a morning that felt ordinary. I woke up early to the sound of birds chirping. As I opened my window, a crisp spring breeze blew through, freezing me with what little bitterness remained of winter. I closed my eyes, taking in a deep breath of fresh air before letting it out, heaving a big sigh. I turned towards my room, the walls painted a soft violet with knickknacks covering my desk. The trinkets were gifts from my godfather during his years of travel, ranging from mini figures of the Greek gods and goddess of the main pantheon to dice that shone in the sunlight. I smiled as my gaze drifted to a picture frame. Behind the glass was a picture of my family. It had been taken shortly after our family's move to Domino City. My fingertips smoothed over my parents' faces.

Often described as Aphrodite's equal when it came to beauty, my mother's sapphire eyes shine brightly in the picture. Despite being in her early thirties at the time, she had gained laugh lines around her eyes, and there were freckles dotting her nose. Her wild red hair was held back by a bandanna, wavy and falling to her mid back in length. Standing with his arm around her, and slightly taller than her, was my father.

My father's smile was so bright that his eyes became more narrow from it, an oddity we shared besides our love of Greek Mythology. His eyes themselves were the same as mine as well, a brown color with golden flecks in certain lights. His hair was a chestnut brown, kept short and neat. In the picture, his eyes were fixed on my mother, beaming lovingly at her. In her arms was a baby, a little boy with our father's chestnut hair, his blue eyes barely open. In front of my father, with his free hand on her shoulder, was my 13 year-old-self. I had my mother's freckles in the picture as well as her red hair. Honestly, if it wasn't for my eyes being my father's brown, you could have mistaken the two of us for carbon copies. A week or two ago, Mom and Dad had told me about a business trip they would be leaving early in the morning for this morning, asking me to watch over my toddler brother and asking Ody to be good.

After a moment, I snapped myself out of my memories and got ready for the day. After I was dressed, I turned to my sibling. At only two years old, he was the most adorable little brother on the planet, though it was a wonder how he slept through most things. I placed my hand on his stomach, gently rubbing it to wake him. "Ody, it's time to wake up." After a moment, his little blue eyes blinked open, yawning widely. I yawned too, though a giggle escaped me.

"Big sis." He sleepily greeted, rubbing his eyes.

"Hi, little bud. Did you sleep good?" I asked, he nodded in response. "Come on, let's get you ready for the day." While I went to school at the middle school near Mom and Dad's, Ody was put into daycare due to Mom and Dad both working a job to make ends meet. It wasn't a perfect life, but it was a good one for us. Once Ody was dressed, I slung my school bag over my shoulder and headed out the door with him in tow. I dropped him off at his daycare as usual and even had time to get breakfast before school. But, despite knowing that Mom and Dad would be fine, I had a sinking feeling that something was wrong. I paid close attention in class, got through lunch, but about halfway through my fourth class of the day, it happened.

"Big sis!" I glanced up from my classwork to see Ody in the doorway. As exclamations of adoration rose from my classmates at the sight of him, he waddled over to me, reaching for me. His determination to get to me should have been my first clue that something was up.

"Ody? How did you-" I started to question as I picked him up, but as the little boy melted into me, I saw him. My godfather's assistant, Croquet. My question was answered as to how Odysseus had gotten out of his daycare, but that meant something was wrong. The principal shuffled over to my teacher and whispered something. My teacher grew grave and nodded in response before both turned to me.

"Callie, there's something I need to speak with you about if you'll allow me." He told me.

"Sure, I suppose." I replied, exchanging a glance with one of my friends before leaving the room. Once in the hallway, Croquet placed a hand on my shoulder. But, it felt as though the weight of the world was suddenly suffocating me. I listened as the principal told me that on the way to their destination, our parents had been involved in a car crash, but hadn't made it. I felt the warmth drain from my face."No… No, it can't be true!" I exclaimed, backing up.

"Miss Callie…" Croquet started as I raced out of the halls, running towards the door.

"Callie!" I heard my friends calling out for me, but I kept running until I burst through the school's doors, seeing someone step out of the limo out front. Standing in his red turtleneck, black pants and black coat, looking somber as he regarded me, was none other than my godfather, Maximilian Pegasus. My eyes stung as I looked at him. His silver hair shimmered in the sunlight, his left eye covered but his right eye being the indication that he had stepped out to meet me. His eye was a brown color like mine, except devoid of golden flecks. I blinked away tears as I spoke.

"Tell me it's not true." My voice was shaky, a moment's waver away from my heart shattering.

"Calliope…" He began, calling me by my real name, something he only did when he was serious. Calliope was the name I had been born with, but due to many people not able to pronounce it, I went by the nickname Callie.

"Uncle Max, tell me it's not true!" I begged, clutching my now sleeping baby brother to my chest, wishing desperately that this was nothing more than an elaborate prank.

"My dear Calliope, I would give anything to tell you that. But, I'm afraid that it's the truth." His voice didn't hold the cartoonish flair it normally did. The only other time his voice has been like this was when his wife and my mother's sister, Aunt Cecilia, had passed away. That was the moment it had truly sunk in. Ody and I were alone. The only biological family we had were each other now. I hung my head, allowing Uncle Max to envelope me in an embrace that did nothing to erase the anguish I felt. My parents had left for a business trip that was only supposed to last until the beginning of the next week. Instead, my school day ended early to make arrangements for a funeral I wasn't old enough to be even thinking about yet, and move from my parents' place to my Uncle's mansion, all while finishing middle school.