I blinked. A snowflake fell onto one of my eyelashes and another onto my hair, and then the snow started falling faster and I shivered violently at the sudden change in environment.

My first thought was that I was back in a Game. But, no, that couldn't be right—the last Game had been months ago, and it had been an utter and complete end to all Games. Julian was gone.

I shivered again.

I looked down at my pajamas, pajamas I had put on, it seemed, minutes ago.

And then what, Jenny? I thought anxiously. Then what happened?

I went to sleep. Of course—this was a dream.

But that didn't seem right. Should I be so cold in a dream?

I looked around, turning slowly in the freezing emptiness. The snow, the cold, the bitter wind—it all felt too real.

I had a sudden thought. Turning once more to establish that yes, indeed, there was nothing else here, I traced two lines in the air.

"Kenaz," I whispered.

And nothing happened.

So perhaps this was a dream. A horribly realistic one, but still—

There was a spark. I didn't even think but I ran towards it, getting colder with each step.

There was a small cave and I slipped inside the small opening. I was so ecstatic to see the roaring fire that I didn't even notice the young shadowman with his back turned to me, standing on the other side of the cave.

Until he turned to pierce me with electric blue eyes.

I would have thought, if I believed anything that was happening, that being dead would have made Julian a bit more…dead-looking. Maybe a gaunt, hollow face, deep set eyes, paler skin. But he looked fine.

And that was even more frightening.

I stepped back as he smiled wolfishly. Any pity I had ever felt for him, any second I had felt less than hatred was gone as the memories rushed back and I remembered what he truly was.

"You should be dead," I said forcefully. I didn't notice the warmth of the fire or the cold at my back but I could feel the pure hatred searing through me.

"That would be too easy." Julian waved his hand lazily and the cold behind me was gone. I turned to see that where the opening had been before there was only a stone wall.

"It doesn't matter," I said, turning to look at him again. "This is a dream. I don't need to find my way back, I'll wake up."

He was suddenly in front of me. He leaned in without touching me and whispered icily into my ear.

"Yes, dearest Jenny, this is a dream. But a very, very real one."

He stepped back and grinned and I recognized instantly the sick, twisted victory on his face.

"And I have complete control over it."

My heart sank. I had been feeling brave, powerful over a dead man, a dream.

But only the real Julian could make my body hum with electricity.

I shivered again, as if I could shake any trace of him off me, even though he had yet to touch me. There was no doubt in my mind now that Julian was truly alive.

Or whatever monsters like him were.

Julian was back on the other side of the cave. "We are in Jotunheim," He said, staring at me. "The world of primal storms. Of snow. Of ice." He smiled again, with a strange, sadistic pleasure. "Are you cold, Jenny?"

"You're dead," I said again, trying to put conviction into my voice.

"I'm trapped." Julian seemed annoyed. "Again. Only this time by someone less insulting to my pride than a lowly human."

I remembered the horrible faces of the shadowmen from the last Game.

"It is very, very hard to kill me," He said thoughtfully.

"Then may you stay here forever," I said, regaining my voice. "I hope you never, ever get out."

"Oh, I certainly won't." He said, and the smile in his voice was chilling. "But Jenny…"

He was in front of me again, and this time he brushed a strand of hair away from my face to whisper.

"You'll be staying here with me."