     with every reincarnation, there was always a clean slate. They didnât know why: perhaps it was to keep them less powerful, or maybe it was to allow them to focus on the tasks at hand. Finley Robinson couldnât remember all the other times she had been Aphrodite; neither could anyone else. All she did know was that she was Aphrodite Cytherea, goddess of love and beauty, and that it was her job to spread those things to the world---god or mortal alike.Â
Aphrodite emerged from the sea foam after one of Finnâs cousins had accidentally pushed her in at the age of nine. She found herself wishing happy couples on television would stay together, and that the world would always be beautiful. As she got older, she learnt more of her other spheres of influence---but she used her powers sparingly, preferring to wait. Aphrodite was the last-born of Ouranos, and the first-born of the Olympians; sheâd have to wait.Â
Lord Zeus and Hera had awoken by the time she was seventeen. Their reincarnations were absolutely incompatible, but they were destined to be together, no matter how dysfunctional. But Finn had seen the way the teenage boy had stared at her, impressed by her control, maybe by her beauty. So naturally, to eliminate the threat, Hera played matchmaker.
âThatâs Noah Flanagan,â the Queen of the Gods said, nodding her head in the direction of someone Finn couldnât see. She turned her head slowly, and saw a muscled young man sitting in the corner of the cafeteria, tinkering with something, his unfinished lunch to the side. âHe was a promising basketballer... I had wished him every success, but he was hit by Ben in one of their games and it shattered his leg. Do you see his brace?âÂ
Finn could see it. it went up to his kneecap, and it was an elaborate thing. Immediately, her mind told her he was Hephaestus, reincarnated like she had been---possibly awoken by the destruction of his leg. âWhat is he doing?â
âHe's... building,â Hera said, with a sniff. âHe makes all these nonsense things. Anyway, heâs lonely, so I think you should go say hello to him.âÂ
It was not a suggestion. Finn nodded and slowly walked towards him, her tray shaking slightly in her grip. She didnât want to embarrass him. She didnât want to make him feel bad, or feel like sheâd come here out of pity. Sure, it wasnât because she had done so freely, but it wasnât like she didnât want to---
Finn had approached the table. The goddess cleared her throat. âExcuse me, is this seat taken? I was kind of hoping I could sit in a quiet area while I do my homework.â
