Learning to be Strong Alone // Jeraphina Fanfiction

Chapter XXI: Hmm, Seraphina?

"It may be the way
you stare.
It could be the way
you blink.
But something here feels off
and I know it's not what
I think."

...............

Seraphina's POV

"A new assistant?"

My head moved away from the front, turning to stare at the confusion weaved within Arlo's pale features. He seemed rather unhappy with the news of his Aunt's new assistant.

I wasn't going to ask why. I felt it were to be revealed soon.

Val smiled a sorrowful smile, folding her arms around her chest. "I know I promised you the job, but a new assistant with a powerful ability and so many talents just swooped in before I could even recommend you," she explained to him. "Don't worry, though," Val spoke, her smile turning less sombre by the second, "you'll get the job soon."

Arlo's eyes looked dead at hers, brow cocking, "You're going to have him fired?" he questioned. Why would somebody with mass amounts of power and skill be fired?

Surprising him, Val chuckled, moving a hand to her face to muffle the sound, "No, but I am afraid that one day he might be able to fire me."

Val continued when she saw that the confusion on his face hadn't been watered out, "You see," she said, "he seems to have such a knowledge of abilities and how to use and combat them—which is incredibly useful for our latest project," she explained to us.

I see.

Whoever her assistant is must be able to climb the ranks all on his own without her help.

But . . . why does she not fear that amount of power?

Arlo snorted quietly. "Alright," he curtly replied, grabbing and drinking from the cup that had been placed before him. "And what would this assistant's name be?"

"Alden," Val spoke to him.

The blonde boy merely nodded, seemingly not listening to the answer to his question.

Before anybody else could speak, Arlo all of a sudden looked up to face Val, looking far more confused than before his question was asked.

"Isn't . . . that what you were going to name your son if you ever had one?" he asked her, eyes squinting in his confused state.

Val chuckled, "Coincidence, I know," she said.

Arlo hummed and mood didn't change after that small revelation, his face going back to the dreary expression he held before.

The lady that sat before us sighed, hands lowering once catching his gloomy mood. "You do understand that it is no hard feelings, Arlo. You'll get the job at some point," she spoke, seriousness moving back into her voice.

Arlo took a moment before his head shook slightly in reply. "There are no hard feelings..." the boy begrudgingly said, twisting his empty cup on the table before him, "and I understand I'll get the job soon; I'm just rather unhappy that it's not as soon as I would've liked."

Val smiled, "There we go." Her eyes then crept back to the pair that was Remi and I.

"So . . . girls, Arlo says you have some questions for me?"