Free Winter of the Ice Wizard by Mary Pope Osborne Page A

Destiny with the help of their friend Teddy. In Summer of the Sea Serpent , Jack and Annie travel to an enchanted seacoast, where they find the hidden Sword of Light with Teddy and a seal girl named Kathleen.
    Now, on the first day of winter, Jack and Annie are about to head out on another magical mission. They invite you to join them. But be sure to wear warm clothes and snow boots. You’re going to a very cold land where very weird things happen.… 

The fetters shall break
    And the wolf run free.
    Secret things I know
    And onward see.
    â€”From
The Poetic Edda

A cold wind rattled the windowpanes. But inside the house, it was warm and cozy. Jack and Annie were making Christmas cookies with their mom. Jack pressed a star-shaped cookie cutter into the dough.
    â€œHey, it’s snowing outside,” said Annie.
    Jack looked out the window. Huge snow-flakes were falling from the late-afternoon sky.
    â€œYou want to go out?” asked Annie.
    â€œNot really. It’ll be dark soon,” said Jack.
    â€œThat’s right,” said their mom. “Today’s the first day of winter. It’s the shortest day of the year.”
    Jack’s heart skipped a beat. “You mean it’s the
winter solstice
?” he said.
    â€œYes,” said their mom.
    Annie gasped. “The winter solstice?” she said.
    â€œYes … ,” their mom said, puzzled.
    Jack and Annie looked at each other. Last summer, Merlin the magician had called for their help on the
summer
solstice. Maybe he would need them again today!
    Jack put down the cookie cutter and wiped his hands on a towel. “Actually, Mom, it might be fun to play in the snow for just a few minutes,” he said.
    â€œWhatever you want,” their mom said. “Just dress warmly. I’ll finish up with the cookies and put them in the oven.”
    â€œThanks!” said Jack. He and Annie raced to the closet and pulled on their boots. They threw on jackets, scarves, gloves, and caps.
    â€œBe home before dark,” their mom said.
    â€œWe will!” called Jack.
    â€œBye, Mom!” Annie shouted.
    Jack and Annie slipped out of their house into the snowy cold. Their boots squeaked as they ran across their white yard and headed toward the Frog Creek woods.
    At the edge of the woods, Jack stopped. He couldn’t believe how beautiful the trees looked. White powder covered the branches of the hemlocks and pines.
    â€œLook,” said Annie. She pointed to two pairs of footprints that led out to the road and then back into the woods. “Somebody else has been here.”
    â€œIt looks like they were walking out of the woods—but turned back,” said Jack. “Let’s hurry!” If the magic tree house
had
come back today, he didn’t want anyone else finding it first!
    Jack and Annie walked quickly through the woods, following the two sets of footprints.
    â€œStop!” said Annie. She pulled Jack behind a tree. “Over there!”
    Through the falling snow, Jack saw two people in long, dark cloaks. They were hurrying toward a tall oak—and high in the oak was the magic tree house!

    â€œOh, no!” said Jack.
    The tree house
was
back! And someone else had found it!
    â€œHey!” Jack yelled. “Stop!” The tree house had come for him and Annie—no one else!
    Jack started running. Annie followed. Jack slipped and fell in the snow, but he scrambled up and kept going. By the time he and Annie got to the tree house, the two people had climbed up the rope ladder and disappeared inside.
    â€œCome out!” Jack yelled.
    â€œThis is
our
tree house!” shouted Annie.
    Two kids poked their heads out of the tree house window. They both looked like they were about thirteen years old. The boy had tousled red hair and freckles. The girl had sea-blue eyesand long, curly black hair. Their cheeks were rosy from the cold. They laughed when they saw Jack and