The final day before his departure brought yet another "coincidental" meeting, this one almost breaking his carefully maintained composure entirely.
Aphrodite found him in the servant's gardens, where he gathered his few possessions beneath an ancient olive tree. Her approach was silent, but he sensed her presence immediately—the connection between them growing stronger with each encounter, as though reality itself strained to reconnect what had been severed.
"Divine Goddess," he acknowledged, rising quickly to bow. "I did not expect to encounter you in the servants' quarter."
"No, I imagine not." Aphrodite moved with liquid grace, circling him with unsettling similarity to Athena's earlier assessment. Unlike the Wisdom Goddess's analytical appraisal, however, Aphrodite's examination carried raw emotion—hope warring with impossibility, recognition fighting disbelief.
"You depart for the Academy today," she stated, though it wasn't truly a question.
"Tomorrow morning, Divine Goddess."
She nodded, her perfect features troubled. "Dreams came to me last night, servant Donatos. Strange visions of connections across time. Do you believe fate can make mistakes?"
The question struck dangerously close to his reality. "I wouldn't presume to understand the workings of fate, Divine Goddess."
"Neither would I, despite my immortality." Her laugh held no humor. "We gods often mistake power for understanding."
She stepped closer, and Donatos fought the urge to retreat. His illusion would hold against visual inspection, but divine proximity carried other dangers—scent, essence, the subtle vibrations of related bloodlines.
"My son would be your age now," she said abruptly. "Had he not been taken."
Donatos's heart hammered against his ribs. "I... have heard the tragic tale, Divine Goddess. My deepest sympathies for your loss."
"Seventeen years." Her voice carried the weight of each day's sorrow. "Seventeen years of searching realms both known and forgotten. Seventeen years of feeling him just beyond my reach."
She raised her hand again, that same almost-touching gesture that spoke of maternal instinct straining against uncertainty. "When I look at you, servant Donatos, that feeling returns. As though he stands before me, yet concealed behind some veil I cannot penetrate."
The moment balanced on a knife's edge. Donatos felt his resolve wavering, the truth pressing against his lips like a living thing demanding release. To end her suffering with a single revelation, to restore what had been lost...
"Divine Goddess," he began, his voice unsteady.
Before he could continue—before the fateful decision could be made—a familiar silver light announced Athena's arrival. The Wisdom Goddess materialized with perfect timing, her expression unreadable as she observed the tableau before her.
"Aphrodite," she acknowledged with a respectful nod. "I see you've taken interest in my Academy recruit as well."
Something passed between the goddesses—a silent communication loaded with centuries of complex relationship. Aphrodite withdrew her hand slowly, her expression closing like a flower at dusk.
"Merely satisfying curiosity," she replied, her tone suddenly lighter, the vulnerable moment hidden behind divine façade. "Your selections always prove... interesting, sister."
"Indeed." Athena turned her attention to Donatos. "And speaking of interesting selections, I've come with news that alters your trajectory, Donatos."
He bowed, grateful for the interruption yet wary of its purpose. "How may I serve, Goddess Athena?"
"Through divine recommendation," she began, her emphasis on 'divine' causing Aphrodite to raise a perfect eyebrow, "your status has been reconsidered. You will attend the Academy not as staff, but as a student."
The statement landed like a thunderbolt. Donatos allowed genuine shock to show on his face—for once, no deception required to display appropriate response.
"A... student? Goddess, I am merely a servant. I possess no divine heritage."
"Are you certain?" Athena's penetrating gaze seemed to strip away layers of concealment. "The Academy accepts more than just godlings. Those with potential, regardless of origin, may find place there."
Aphrodite watched this exchange with increasing intensity, her eyes darting between them. "Whose recommendation prompted this unusual elevation, sister? Surely not yours alone."
"The Academy's administration is not your concern, Aphrodite," Athena replied smoothly. "Unless you wish to take more active interest in our educational endeavors?"
Another loaded silence stretched between them, carrying undercurrents Donatos could sense but not fully decipher.
"Perhaps I should," Aphrodite finally said, her voice carrying subtle challenge. "If you're discovering such... intriguing candidates in unlikely places."
She turned back to Donatos, her gaze lingering with that same painful almost-recognition. "We will meet again, I think. Destiny has curious patterns."
With that, she departed in a swirl of rose petals and sea-foam, leaving behind the scent of maternal concern and unspoken questions.
When they were alone, Athena fixed Donatos with a look that contained equal parts suspicion and curiosity. "You've made quite an impression on the Goddess of Beauty. Unusual for a servant."
"I cannot explain her interest, Goddess Athena," he replied honestly.
"No?" She studied him for a long moment. "Your status change comes with qualification. You will receive minimal resources compared to other students—those with confirmed divine parentage. You must prove your worthiness through merit alone."
Donatos bowed deeply, concealing the triumph in his eyes. "I am beyond grateful for this opportunity, Goddess. I will not squander it."
"See that you don't." Her expression remained unreadable. "The Academy reveals truth, Donatos. Whatever you are—whatever you're concealing—will not remain hidden within its walls for long."
The warning was unmistakable. Athena suspected... something. Not the full truth, perhaps, but enough to warrant caution.
"I have nothing to hide, Goddess," he lied with perfect conviction. "Only potential to fulfill."
"We shall see." With that cryptic statement, she dissolved into silver mist, leaving Donatos alone with thoughts that raced like chariots in Apollo's most competitive races.
Student, not servant. Direct access to divine knowledge, training, and resources. Proximity to other godlings whose powers might mask his own developing abilities.
It was everything he had hoped for, delivered by the very goddesses who posed the greatest threat to his secret. Either remarkable fortune had smiled upon him, or he was walking into a trap so subtle even he couldn't yet perceive its mechanisms.