{"product_id":"9781439108840","title":"True Heart (Unicorn's Secret Series #6)","description":"\u003cbr\u003e\u003ccenter\u003eChapter One \u003c\/center\u003e \u003cp\u003e Heart stood in the stone doorway. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e The early chill was sharp. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e Her breath made clouds of soft mist. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e Kip sat beside her, his furry shoulder warm against her leg. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e Heart stared at the yellow-orange glow in the valley below. The river of fire looked even stranger in the dark. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e Heart knew that the sun would rise soon. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e When it did, she would have to leave. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \"I wish you could stay,\" Tibbs said from behind her. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e Heart turned. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e Tibbs looked tired. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e He and Joseph had worked hard to finish Moonsilver's armor quickly. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \"I don't want to leave,\" Heart admitted. She felt the silver bracelet tighten on her wrist for an instant. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e As always, it startled her. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e As always, she wasn't sure what it meant. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \"But you have to go,\" Tibbs said. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e Heart nodded. The forge felt safe, but it wasn't, not for her -- and not for the unicorns. Too many nobles came here. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e Heart bit her lip, wishing she could be sure where the unicorns \u003ci\u003ewould\u003c\/i\u003e be safe. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e Maybe her family would help one day. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e Or maybe she would never find them. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e For now, all she could do was find the Gypsies. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e She thought about Binney and smiled. It would be so good to know they were all safe, to be back with her friends. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \"Keep learning to read, keep practicing,\" Tibbs said softly. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e Heart met his eyes. \"I will.\" \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e Tibbs frowned. \"My master in Derrytown was nervous about teaching me. It's usually just for the nobility, you know.\" \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e Heart looked at him. \"A woman in Yolen's Crossing offered to teach me.\" \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \"Was she dressed fancy?\" Tibbs asked. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e Heart nodded. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e Tibbs was silent for a moment. He shrugged. \"The lords all forbid books for common folk. Dunraven is the strictest, my master said.\" \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e Heart nodded. She had lived her whole life in Ash Grove and had never even known what a book \u003ci\u003ewas.\u003c\/i\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \"Can Ruth Oakes read?\" she asked Tibbs. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e He shrugged again. \"I don't know. She never said so.\" \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \"She never told me, either,\" Heart said. \"But maybe she would keep it secret.\" \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e They were both silent for a long moment. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e Heart looked back into the beautiful house. It would be wonderful to stay here, to practice reading with Tibbs, to stop traveling -- to have a home. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \"Thank Joseph for me,\" she said aloud. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e Tibbs nodded. \"I will.\" \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \"It's been three days,\" Heart said, looking up at Tibbs. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \"You'll find the Gypsies,\" he answered, understanding her instantly. Then he pointed. \"Look.\" \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e Heart faced the valley. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e Avamir was grazing. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e Moonsilver was prancing easily down the slope. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e He reared, turning, then trotted upward again. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e The armor shone orange yellow in the light from the fiery river. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e The plumes swayed. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e Heart laughed. Moonsilver was lifting his hooves high, like a horse in a parade. He was showing off. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e He looked beautiful. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e The armor fit perfectly. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e It was as strong as real armor, but not as heavy. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e Joseph had cut curved pieces out of the metal that covered Moonsilver's back and sides. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e Joseph said horses sometimes died of heat sickness in closed armor, so Moonsilver's was made to be cooler too. The base of the thin silver spike that enclosed his horn had four narrow slits in it. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e The top was open. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e Only an eyelash-thick crescent of his horn tip showed, but air could pass through. There were slits in the cheek plates, too. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e Tibbs was smiling. \"He seems to like it.\" \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e Heart nodded and looked at the sky. It was almost time to leave. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e They were ready. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e Her carry-sack was full of bread, barley, and wrinkled autumn apples from Joseph's root cellar. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e She had her flints. Joseph had given her half a candle. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e He had given her soft cotton rope, too. She had braided halters for the unicorns while he and Tibbs worked on the armor. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e Avamir and Moonsilver had allowed her to put them on. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \"I should go with you,\" Tibbs said quietly. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e Heart met his eyes. \"No, you shouldn't. You have finally found your home.\" \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e Tibbs looked into her eyes for a long moment. \"Thank you, Heart. You are a true friend.\" \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e Heart took a deep breath. \"I only hope I can find mine.\" \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e Tibbs reached out and touched her cheek. \"You will. If you see Ruth Oakes, tell her how happy I am. Tell Binney I have doubled my skill already, just helping Joseph on the armor.\" \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e Tibbs's eyes were full of joy. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \"I will tell them,\" Heart said. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \"Try not to worry,\" Tibbs told her. \"Binney and Zim probably talked the guardsmen around in circles and made friends of them by the time they got to Bidenfast.\" \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e Heart sighed. \"Or maybe the new Lord Irmaedith heard rumors about a unicorn.\" \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e Tibbs frowned. \"Maybe.\" \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e Heart scuffed at the ground. If the Gypsies were in trouble because of helping her... \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e She pulled in a deep breath. The sunrise was shading the sky gold pink along the horizon now. \"Where is Joseph?\" \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \"Snoring,\" Tibbs said. \"He lay down to rest and went out like a candle.\" \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e Heart smiled. \"Thank him -- for all of us.\" \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \"I will,\" Tibbs said. \"Come back if you can.\" \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \"I'll try,\" Heart promised. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e Avamir whinnied, high and clear. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e Tibbs smiled. \"M'Lady Unicorn summons you, I think.\" \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e Heart stepped out of the doorway into the chilly morning. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \"Good-bye,\" Tibbs said. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e Heart smiled at him, then started down the steep, rocky path. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e Text copyright © 2003 by Kathleen Duey\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e Illustrations copyright © 2003 by Omar Rayyan\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Aladdin","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47123622232304,"sku":"9781439108840","price":5.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/9781439108840_p0.jpg?v=1763756979","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/9781439108840","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}