True Heart (6 page)

Heart took a deep breath. “Do you know anything about the Royal House of Avamir?”

The boy sighed. “If you could read—”

“I am learning,” Heart told him.

He grinned again. “Then there is a book I will give you gladly. Is there nothing else you want?”

“I need to leave Bidenfast,” Heart told him. “It's too dangerous here for the … horses.”

The young lord nodded. “I'll go get the book and a few guards. I'll say you must leave early. They can escort you back to the High Road. Or farther?” he asked, looking up at her.

Heart shook her head. “No. I can camp somewhere and wait for the Gypsies.”

“Maybe one day we can be friends,” he said. “I have none.”

Heart started to answer.

He was already turning, blowing out the candle.

He climbed the gate.

She heard his light footfalls as he left.

CHAPTER TEN

H
eart hid the young lord's gift book deep in her carry-sack. He took her hand in farewell and flashed her another grin. “I am Lord Irmaedith now,” he whispered, “but my name is Seth.” He bowed. “Good-bye, Heart. Travel safely.”

Then he sprang back over the gate, and she heard him murmur to the guards.

“Good-bye,” Heart whispered.

It was strange leaving the stables with the guards. Heart knew the other pages would think she had broken some law.

The guards rode in silence behind her as she walked the unicorns back out the gates, down the long hill, and onto the High Road.

Then they reined in.

One of them gave her a bag of food. There were even carrots for the unicorns.

The guards waited as she started off.

After a moment she heard them ride away.

What was left of that long night passed easily, quietly.

By morning Heart was too tired to go any farther. She found a good clearing with an icy creek and made camp. It was above the road, with a stand of sycamores to keep people from seeing the unicorns.

There were only a few wagons coming past Bidenfast.

When Heart heard wheels creaking, she would look, then go back to her reading.

Lord Irmaedith's book was a little hard for her.

But she was determined to read it, no matter how long it took.

The book was worn, the cover dented and rubbed.

It had childish pencil drawings on some of the pages.

It was a storybook. Lord Irmaedith had told her that many royal children were given storybooks to read.

Heart loved the stories.

One was about a unicorn healing a sick girl.

Another was a sad tale of unicorns being hunted.

A third talked about a place where the unicorns had hidden from the hunters.

Heart was sure the stories weren't just stories.

They were
history
—things that had really happened.

A fourth story told her that the Royal House of Avamir was in Lord Levin's lands, close to Lord Kaybale's border.

The morning that she heard creaking wheels mixed with the jingle of Gypsy bells, Heart stood up and brushed off her skirt.

Kip barked.

Avamir and Moonsilver cantered toward the road.

Moonsilver was lifting his hooves high.

Heart smiled. The Gypsies had never seen his beautiful armor. He was showing off.

Heart laughed aloud at Binney's joyous shout.

Then she ran toward her friends.

Experience the Magic

When the battered mare Heart Trilby takes in presents her with a silvery white foal Heart's life is transformed into one of danger wonder, and miracles beyond her wildest imaginings. Read about Heart's thrilling quest in

THE UNICORN'S SECRET # 1 Moonsilver 0-689-84269-4

THE UNICORN'S SECRET # 2 The Silver Thread 0-689-84270-8

THE UNICORN'S SECRET # 3 The Silver Bracelet 0-689-84271-6

THE UNICORN'S SECRET # 4 The Mountains of the Moon 0-689-84272-4

THE UNICORN'S SECRET # 5 The Sunset Gates 0-689-85346-7

THE UNICORN'S SECRET # 6 True Heart 0-689-85370-X

THE UNICORN'S SECRET # 7 Castle Avamir 0-689-85372-6

THE UNICORN'S SECRET # 8 The Journey Home 0-689-85374-2

ALADDIN PAPERBACKS

Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division · www.SimonSaysKids.com

Ready-for-Chapters

KATHLEEN DUEY has written more than forty books for children. She grew up thinking about fanciful things. The Unicorns Secret series is based on a dream she had in the third grade. She lives in southern California, is in love and happy, and gets up smiling every single day.

She loves to get letters at
www.kathleenduey.com
and answers every single one.