True Heart Read Online Free PDF Page B

happened.”
    â€œDid something happen?” Heart asked carefully.
    â€œI heard you talk to the mare,” the boy said. “Then she whinnied and then the stallion … touched me.” The boy bowed toward Avamir andMoonsilver. “I came to thank you all.”
    Heart was silent.
    The boy looked at his own hand. He clenched his fist. “I feel strong! I’ve never felt strong.”
    He looked over the candle flame at Heart. “Unicorns!” He breathed the word. “No one thinks they are real.”
    Heart leaned toward him. “Don’t tell anyone,” she pleaded. “All the lords will chase us. They will all want to …” She stopped, blushing, remembering who she was talking to.
    â€œHow may I repay you?” the new Lord Irmaedith asked.
    â€œAre the Gypsies safe?” Heart whispered. “They had a fake unicorn once. It was part of the show. Lord Dunraven knew about it, and I—”
    â€œI will protect them,” the boy lord interrupted. “May they do the rest of their shows?”
    Heart nodded. “If they can leave safely afterward.”
    He smiled and promised again, lifting the candle. “You think of your friends before yourself?”
    Heart was silent.
    The boy grinned at her, a flash of white teeth in the candlelight. “You are a true heart. Ask another favor.”
    Heart looked into his eyes. “Promise they will be safe?”
    He nodded. “You have my word.”
    Heart took a deep breath. “Do you know anything about the Royal House of Avamir?”
    The boy sighed. “If you could read—”
    â€œI am learning,” Heart told him.
    He grinned again. “Then there is a book I will give you gladly. Is there nothing else you want?”
    â€œI 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.”
    â€œMaybe 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.
    â€œGood-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