Read Wendigo Wars for Free Online Page B

when he had first begun to train her but now Mathilde managed to nick him more than he did her and she had become expert in slipping out of his reach, using her height to her advantage.
    “Ok I’m done,” said Mathilde, slumping to the ground.
    “Done? You wimp! We’ve only been practicing for an hour,” Seb chuckled and sat down next to Mathilde. He gave her a one armed bear hug. “So what was it you were going to tell me this afternoon?”
    The sun streamed through the training room windows and made Seb’s eyes glint mischievously. He looked in the mood for a fun afternoon and Mathilde’s heart sank as the memory of her meeting with Violette and Fleur came rushing back. It only took a matter of minutes to update Seb but in that time he went from his normal funny self to a more serious Seb. Mathilde had always been grateful that Seb was able to tap into her emotional changes and reflect them with his own.
    “We can’t take the whole of the Protectorate with us. Especially after...” Seb paused and looked apologetically at Mathilde.
    “After Jack,” Mathilde finished for him, her heart feeling like lead once more. “Yes it’s important to keep everyone’s spirits up and the best way to do that is to let as many of the Protectors stay here as possible. It would affect everyone’s morale too much to lose another Protector now. We should just take a few with us.”
    “Or...maybe none,” said Seb.
    “What not go at all? We can’t do that Seb, they need our help,” Mathilde was rarely shocked by anything that Seb said but this response took her aback a little.
    “No I don’t mean not go; I mean why not just us two go? That way the settlement stays safe with almost everyone here still to protect them.”
    Mathilde thought about the options for a moment. It did make sense for them to leave as much of the Protectorate behind as possible but just the two of them going? It would be a big risk if they were attacked. “It would be too difficult. We barely hold the wendigo off when there are thirteen of us. How would we cope with just two?”
    “I think it would be easier with less of us to call attention to ourselves. We travel in the day when not many wendigo are out and skirt around the forests so we have the advantage. Any wendigo coming we would see a mile off. At night we make a double ring of fire and sleep in shifts. Come on Tilly we can do this.”
    “You might be right. It would definitely be nice not to worry about keeping anyone else safe.” Mathilde thought in silence for a moment. “Yes let’s do it - just the two of us. We ride full speed in the day and avoid trees and gullies as much as possible.”
    “Better go and tell everyone then,” Seb said as he stood up and held his hand out to Mathilde.
    The rest of the day passed quickly. Mathilde and Seb hardly had time to breathe with the well wishers and preparations which filled the rest of the day and evening. That night Mathilde slept restlessly and she was relieved when morning finally arrived and gave her permission to stop trying to force sleep.
    After a quiet breakfast with Amelie, Seb and Jaya, Mathilde checked her travel bag for the twentieth time since packing it. Dried meat strips, dried berries, flat bread, one set of spare clothes, crossbow, arrows, water flask and healing balm. Dressed in her thermal underclothes, heavy down lined jacket and fur lined walking boots with a thin chainmail vest studded with amber she had everything she needed for the journey which would take five days. As Mathilde closed her bag and promised herself that she would not check again, Amelie returned from her morning walk. She took a chair at the table on which Mathilde’s bag rested and rubbed her forehead. She looked tired and older than usual.
    “I’m worried Mathilde. You don’t know what you are getting yourself into.”
    Mathilde took a seat and joined her surrogate mother at the kitchen table.
    “No one does. Nobody knows anything yet, it’s