Chapter Two

                                    

                                          
         
                          
"Seriously?!?!"  Lyle choked on his wine as everyone else laughed.
                          
I nodded, looking across the table at Xavier, who was at the castle when Winter and I returned.  "It was close, but we managed to escape."
                          
Nicole smiled, holding Peter's hand.  She corrected him, telling him to not play with his food.
                          
Frowning, Peter said, "what's a White Wolf?"
                          
Everyone went silent, looking at each other.  Lyle looked at Kyle, as if telling him that he wasn't going to explain.
                          
After a moment or two of everyone staring at each other, I decided to speak.  "Um, a White Wolf is a magical creature.  It looks kind of like any old arctic wolf, but its eyes are red.  Their teeth are always sharp and their howls are... the scariest thing you will ever hear."  I paused, feeling my face grow pale.  "They are much larger than normal wolves and seem to stare into your soul.  White Wolves howl to gather other White Wolves.  When they form a circle around the enemy, which they rarely do, the prey becomes so cold until they either freeze or they surrender, the White Wolves tearing them apart.  Some animal experts even think that White Wolves are the most dangerous magical creatures in the world.  Others think that Dragons are worse.  But I don't fear a Dragon like I fear a White Wolf.  Dragons are scary because they are big and tough.  But White Wolves... they're like your worst nightmare..."
                          
I looked up to see everyone staring at me, jaws dropped.  Even Xavier looked surprised.
                          
Things were quiet from then on.  Kyle tried to change the subject by talking about how Ivan and Red had joined the battle against the Dragons, but the conversation quickly faded no matter how hard anyone tried.
                          
I didn't talk until nine at night, when Xavier asked me if I was okay.
                          
"Yeah, I good," I said.
                          
I'm not good, I thought.  I've read books about White Wolves, but meeting them in person... changes you.
                          
I fell asleep quickly, hugging myself in fear.  The air seemed cold, even though we always slept with lots of blankets on.
                          
That night, I had terrible nightmares.  I was in icy water, screaming for help.  But then I saw Winter.  She had black wings, like Quinn's, like a raven's.  Her eyes were glowing red like a White Wolf's.  Floating above the water, Winter was talking, saying something.
                          
But I couldn't hear her.
                          
I seemed to be in a lake.  There weren't any fish, but I could feel something in the water with me.
                          
Right before I woke up, a man with long white hair rose out of the water with a knife.  Before I could react, he flew up behind Winter and stabbed her.
                          
            I woke up screaming.
                          
Xavier sat up in bed, eyes wide.  "Lynn!  It was just a dream!"  He placed his hands on my arms, which were shaking.
                          
I froze, remembering everything from my nightmare.
                          
"No," I whispered.  "It was a vision."
                          
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