I don’t understand what people see in her.

She’s not pretty, like me. With my long blonde hair that I twist into coquettish braids. My deep blue eyes. Fabulous curves that I show off in beautiful dresses.

My sister, Hildegard. She is ugly. A wart on her chin with little hairs that grow out of it. An eye missing from when the raiders invaded the village when we were toddlers. They almost killed her but got distracted by my cries. If the Dark Lady hadn’t intervened … but that’s another story.

Hildegard loves everyone. As we’ve rebuilt the village over the years, she has given all of her inheritance to these little people. She lives on acorns and water. She only uses her magic for healing.

And she attracts all good things to her…including Roberto. She thinks he is a dear friend but he loves her. Not me. I am the one he should be in love with. It’s all so wrong.

I inherited a little magic, too. The Dark Lady says she can help me grow it into a powerful force of nature. Of course I’d only use it for good…most of the time. I’m going to see the Dark Lady today and start fixing all that’s wrong.