"My son," the words themselves seemed to make the air tremble. Then came the smile, knowing and terrible. "Or should I say... professor?"
He knew. Of course he knew - he was Zeus. Why did I think I could trick a god?
But instead of hitting me with lightning, which I thought he might do, Zeus smiled. "The way you handled the Nemean Lion was... not what I expected. Very interesting. Not the usual way, for sure, but it worked well."
I tried to think of something brave to say, but what came out sounded more like a teacher: "The way the lion acted showed us that there might be a better way than fighting..." I caught myself. "I mean, thank you, father! Very godly of you to notice!"
Zeus raised an eyebrow, and a small lightning bolt crackled through his beard. "Indeed. You've brought quite a different way of doing things to these tasks. Though I wonder if your... teacher's way will work as well with the Hydra?"
