Winter of the Ice Wizard

to—for Morgan and Merlin.”
    Jack nodded. “You’re right,” he said. They studied the hill in the moonlight.
    â€œUp there—is that an opening?” said Annie.
    â€œMaybe,” said Jack. “Let’s climb up and check it out.” When they climbed a little way up the hill, Jack could clearly see a break in the snow-covered slope.
    â€œLet’s see if it leads inside!” said Annie.
    â€œWait, what about the Frost Giant?” said Jack.
    â€œI have a feeling he’s not here right now,” said Annie. “We’d better go in and find the wizard’s eye before he comes back.”
    â€œOkay,” said Jack. “But be careful!”
    They scurried farther up the slope. When they came to the opening, they stepped through the huge crack into the hill.
    Jack and Annie found themselves on a ledge above a deep, rounded hollow. Moonlight flooded down through the open hilltop. At the bottom of the hollow was a flat spot where it looked as if the snow had been blown in circles.

    â€œThat must be where the giant sleeps!” said Annie.
    â€œYeah, and it’s probably where he hides the eye,” said Jack. “We just have to find a hole. Remember?” He repeated what the Norns had said:
    In the Hollow Hill is a hole.
    In the hole is a hailstone.
    In the heart of the hailstone
    Hides the wizard’s eye.
    â€œRight,” said Annie.
    Jack looked down at the snowy swirl. He looked back at Annie. “Onward?”
    â€œOnward,” she whispered.
    Jack and Annie scrambled down into the hollow. Stepping carefully through the silver moonlight, they studied the ground, looking for the hole.
    Annie stumbled and fell. “Whoa!” she said. “I think I just found the hole! I stepped in it!”
    â€œReally?” said Jack. He knelt down beside her.
    Annie reached down into a small hole in the floor of the hollow. “There’s something in here!”she said. She pulled out a chunk of ice the size of an egg. “The hailstone!”
    In the dim light, it was impossible to see if anything was inside the ice chunk. “We don’t know if this is the right hailstone,” said Jack. “We’ll have to wait till daylight to see if the eye’s in there.”
    â€œIt has to be the right one,” said Annie. “How many hailstones are hidden in a hole in a hollow hill?”
    â€œGood point,” said Jack.
    Annie turned the hailstone over in her hand. “Maybe the eye is looking at us now,” she said.
    â€œThat’s scientifically impossible,” said Jack. “An eye can’t see unless it’s connected to a brain.”
    â€œYeah, and a string can’t make the wind blow, either,” said Annie. “Forget science in this place. Wait—” She caught her breath. “Did you feel that?”
    â€œFeel what?” said Jack.
    â€œThe ground’s shaking,” said Annie.
    Jack
did
feel the ground trembling. He hearda strange sound, too—a loud huffing sound coming from outside the hill—
HUFFFF, HUFFFF, HUFFFF.… 
It sounded like breathing!
    â€œThe giant’s back!” said Annie.
    â€œOh, no!” cried Jack.
    The ground kept rumbling. The breathing sounds got louder.
    â€œHide the hailstone!” said Jack.
    Annie shoved the ice chunk into her pocket.
    HUFFFF, HUFFFF, HUFFFF.… 
It sounded like the giant was entering the hollow!
    â€œHe’s coming!” said Annie.
    â€œHide!” whispered Jack.
    Jack pulled Annie into the shadows. He remembered the gray Norn’s warning:
Anyone who looks directly at the Frost Giant will freeze to death at once.
    â€œWhatever you do,
don’t look at him!
” he whispered to Annie.
    Crouching in the dark, they buried their faces in their hands and waited.… 

H UFFFF, HUFFFF, HUFFFFF.… 
With each breath from the Frost Giant, a blast of cold wind swept through the hollow.
    Jack trembled. He felt chilled to the bone.
HUFFFF, HUFFFF, HUFFFFF.… 
    The giant’s breathing grew louder and stronger. Jack squeezed his eyes shut as icy, wet wind rushed against his body.
    HUFFFF, HUFFFF, HUFFFFF.… 
    Jack crouched lower and held on tightly to Annie.
    HUFFFF, HUFFFF, HUFFFFF.… 
    The giant’s breath howled like a hundred ghosts through the hollow. Jack thought of the blue Norn’s words:
He is a blind force of nature that spares