The Gathering of Masters (Updating/Editing)

40. Master Jordan

As they stepped into the dining room, Natalia became immediately uneasy. The atmosphere was more formal and tense than usual, amplifying her discomfort. Without thinking, she reached for Raja's hand, seeking comfort in his touch. He entwined his fingers with hers and drew her closer. With him by her side, any unease she had felt before entering the room disappeared. Raja was her bondmate and her support - nothing else mattered.

A man of short, solid stature stood at the far end of the dining table. His broad shoulders and muscular build exuded a sense of strength and confidence. Standing beside him was a stunningly beautiful, dark woman with piercing eyes that sparkled in the soft light. As he turned to her, the man's face lit up with a warm, inviting smile that reached his hazel eyes and wrinkled the skin near his greying hair. He looked excited and relieved to see them both as if he had been waiting for their arrival for a long time.

Despite his short stature, the man commanded attention from everyone in the room. Clearly, he was someone of importance, and his resemblance to Leena and Paulo left no doubt about their relationship. Power rippled around him, emanating from him in a way that didn't exist in his siblings. The Earth beneath his feet seemed to almost bend up to him as he walked towards them as if he was a force of nature and the ground itself was paying him homage.

"Natalia," his low voice rumbled as he spoke. "I have been looking forward to meeting you." He grasped her hand and brought it to his lips. "Earth called me to you years ago, but I-" He looked at the dark woman, who shook her head slightly. "I was not the best suited for the journey." Natalia heard echoes of his halted words as he held her hand still, "and was not allowed to attempt it." She politely withdrew her hand but still felt the echo of his resentment and anger.

"Master Jordan," she guessed from Jiyun's description, trying to ignore the rising agitation this anger had caused her. "It is good to meet you."

The Earth master looked at her hand, which crossed her body to lay on Raja's arm above their clasped hands.

"This is Raja." She tapped her hand on the arm, and Raja nodded at the Master.

Master Jordan nodded back and nodded the dark woman over. "This is my wife, Agnes." Warmth exuded from the stunning woman. "She is a Fire Master."

"Mountain Sister, you are far from your home," Raja broke his silence as he put his hand out in what Natalia recognized as a traditional Tribal greeting. Agnes pressed her hand against his raised one and smiled sweetly.

"Yes, but there are mountains here enough for me not to get too homesick," she responded with a lighter version of the Mountain Tribe accent Natalia had imitated during their journey.

"But nothing can compare to your Volcano." Mara came up beside them and hugged her. "It is so good to have you here. We will need your help more than we originally thought. Rosemund is not coming."

"So I have heard." Master Agnes' pleasant voice gained a hard edge. "We should force her to come. The Queen will not let her live if she learns who Rosemund really is. We should rescue her!"

Agnes' eyes blazed a fiery red, betraying her intense anger. Sensing the woman's emotions, Natalia gently placed a reassuring hand on her arm. The Master's eyes flickered, and gradually, the redness dissipated as her feelings subsided. After her anger dissipated, her eyes widened, and her lips pursed into a small o before she turned to Mara, who nodded with a suppressed grin.

"Fire Tamer!" Agnes announced to her husband. "She tamed his anger with a touch."

"Ah, I see," Jordan answered calmly, then smiled at Natalia and Raja.

"The tribes revere Fire Tamers, as your Raja knows. It will take her time to absorb this," he explained with a pat on his wife's shoulder.

"Not one in a generation can tame Fire," Mara added.