Nature's Peril Part 1 (The Nature Mage Series) by Duncan Pile

carried it over to the stack and slammed it down. Frustrated by his failure to get a foothold on the next rung of the ladder in Belash’s organisation, Jonn found himself wondering if he’d ever manage to get off the docks.
     
    …
     
    It was a difficult couple of weeks for Gaspi. Every day that passed felt like a day they couldn’t afford to waste, but they passed nonetheless as they waited for the return of the spirits. As his frustration grew, Gaspi started to doubt that postponing their decision about the quest indefinitely had been the right choice. He agreed that a lot hung on the elementals’ wisdom, but he couldn’t help feeling they should be taking action. He’d thought long and hard about what that action ought to be, and had come to the conclusion that they should set off on the quest to Pell. He’d wrestled with uncertainty about leaving Jonn behind, but neither he nor Hephistole had heard from him again since that day at the Rest, and he’d come to accept that this really was something Jonn had to do on his own. It might be months before he saw him again, and they certainly didn’t have the luxury of letting that time pass without taking action against Sestin. As for waiting for the elementals, that argument didn’t hold much water with him anymore. Loreill could sense where he was through the bond, so the elemental would be able to find them even if they had a head start.
    He’d also had a re-think about who should go on that quest. They’d been working on the assumption that all the spirit-bonded magicians should stay together, but they didn’t know that for certain. It was an assumption Rimulth had made (and which Hephistole had latched onto), because it had been true when they went to the Measure. Yes, it had been the right thing to do on that occasion, but why was everyone so convinced that it was still the case? In the absence of the spirits’ guidance, they simply didn’t know if that was true anymore, and he wasn’t happy with Emmy, Lydia or Rimulth undertaking such a long and dangerous journey if it wasn’t absolutely necessary. If it was up to him, he and Taurnil would leave with Voltan and the other warriors first thing the next day. The problem was that Hephistole didn’t agree.
    Gaspi knew Hephistole had taken Everand’s death very hard. They all had, but while they were all getting on with their lives, Hephistole seemed to be sinking deeper and deeper into a hole of self-recrimination. Maybe if the chancellor could deal with the burden of guilt he was carrying, they could make a decision about the quest. Gaspi decided the best thing to do was to go and talk with him straight away. It was a long shot, but anything was better than waiting around doing nothing.
                 
    …
     
    “Good to see you Gaspi,” Hephistole said as Gaspi stepped off the transporter plinth. Gaspi didn’t think he’d ever heard a less sincere greeting. He took one look at the chancellor and realised that things were much worse than he’d thought. Hephistole sat at his desk with bowed shoulders and a heavy expression, and he barely made eye contact with Gaspi as he walked across the room. Deeply concerned to find Hephistole in such a state, Gaspi walked around the desk and took the chancellor by the arm.
    “Come on Heppy,” he said, tuggin g on his elbow. Hephistole looked at him in surprise but didn’t object. He allowed himself to be led across the room to a more comfortable chair. “Take a seat while I make some tea,” Gaspi said.
    “Ah Gaspi,” he said , lowering himself into the chair and leaning back with a deep sigh. “I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Your compassion becomes you.”
    Gaspi tapped his forefi nger on each of Hephistole’s coloured tea jars, trying to decide what would serve the chancellor best. Thinking tea might bring him the clarity he needed, but then again he might have done too much thinking already. He picked up a burnt orange jar and