began to run.
She ran as fast as she could.
It wasnât nearly fast enough.
At the bottom of the slope Moonsilver and Avamir waited for her.
Avamir tossed her head, jingling the tiny Gypsy bells Talia and Josepha had braided into her mane.
Kip ran in circles, barking.
Avamir stamped a forehoof, looking at him.
Kip quieted.
âIâd better go first,â Heart told Avamir. âIn case we meet anyone on the path.â
Avamir shook her mane and lowered her head, waiting for Heart to start off.
The path was narrow and steep. Heart walked carefully until the sun rose.
Then, with the morning light pouring over the Earth, she hurried along, her carry-sack over her shoulder.
Kip raced ahead.
His paws were nearly soundless on the path.
The unicorns were almost as quiet.
Their hooves seemed barely to touch the earth.
As she walked, Heartâs spirits rose. The rhythm of her own steps felt wonderful. The scent of the pine trees soothed her worries a little.
At the bottom of the path she stopped.
âWait here,â she told the unicorns. âItâs important that no one sees us coming down from the forge.â
Avamir tossed her head, but she didnât follow as Heart walked out through the trees.
Heart moved slowly and carefully, listening for voices.
She slowed, crossing the grassy place where the Gypsies had camped.
There was a bright-colored scarf in the grass.
Heart picked it up, fingering the silk.
The Gypsies had broken camp fast.
Too fast.
Heart had seen the guards shouting at them.
Feeling her worries rise, Heart tied the scarf around her neck.
She eased forward, then listened again before she stepped out of the trees.
The road was empty as far as she could see in both directions.
She turned and called out to Kip and the unicorns.
Kip barked and dashed forward. The unicorns cantered gracefully through the dappled sunlight, then slowed once they got close.
Heart led off, walking fast.
The morning was cool and bright. The road dust had been settled by a heavy dew.
The birds were wide awake.
Their songs overlapped and blended, a tangled chorus.
Heart lengthened her stride.
She wanted to get as far from the forge path as she could before anyone saw them.
If the guardsmen had been looking for Moonsilver, she didnât want anyone to guess that Joseph had helped her.
She didnât want to bring him trouble.
Kip barked suddenly and raced off through the trees.
Heart watched him go and smiled. He loved chasing squirrels.
She glanced at Moonsilver.
Moonsilver looked like a lordâs horse now, not a unicorn.
Avamirâs braided halter made her look like a well-bred stable mare. A little thin, maybe, but beautiful.
âBut I still look like a Gypsy girl,â Heart said aloud. She flipped her sash and jingled the tiny bells tied into the fringe.
Avamir whuffled a long breath out through her nostrils.
âI do, though,â Heart said, turning. âWhat will people think when they â¦â
The mare lifted her head sharply and turned to look back down the road.
Heart stopped midsentence and turned.
She saw the shape of someone walking toward them in the early light.
There were woods on either side of the road.
It didnât matter.
It was too late to hide.
Heart pulled the Gypsy scarf from her neck.
She put it in her carry-sack.
CHAPTER THREE
A vamir moved closer to Heart. Moonsilver came up on her other side.
Heart reached up carefully and took hold of their halters. Then she turned again.
The woman coming up behind them looked familiar. She was waving, gesturing for Heart to stop.
âWho are you?â the woman called out.
Her voice was sharp.
The forest became silent.
All the songbirds stopped singing.
The woman walked through a patch of sunlight, and Heart saw that she was carrying an armload of books.
Heart felt her stomach tighten. It was the womanfrom Thoren who had been so rude to her and Tibbs when theyâd asked
She ran as fast as she could.
It wasnât nearly fast enough.
At the bottom of the slope Moonsilver and Avamir waited for her.
Avamir tossed her head, jingling the tiny Gypsy bells Talia and Josepha had braided into her mane.
Kip ran in circles, barking.
Avamir stamped a forehoof, looking at him.
Kip quieted.
âIâd better go first,â Heart told Avamir. âIn case we meet anyone on the path.â
Avamir shook her mane and lowered her head, waiting for Heart to start off.
The path was narrow and steep. Heart walked carefully until the sun rose.
Then, with the morning light pouring over the Earth, she hurried along, her carry-sack over her shoulder.
Kip raced ahead.
His paws were nearly soundless on the path.
The unicorns were almost as quiet.
Their hooves seemed barely to touch the earth.
As she walked, Heartâs spirits rose. The rhythm of her own steps felt wonderful. The scent of the pine trees soothed her worries a little.
At the bottom of the path she stopped.
âWait here,â she told the unicorns. âItâs important that no one sees us coming down from the forge.â
Avamir tossed her head, but she didnât follow as Heart walked out through the trees.
Heart moved slowly and carefully, listening for voices.
She slowed, crossing the grassy place where the Gypsies had camped.
There was a bright-colored scarf in the grass.
Heart picked it up, fingering the silk.
The Gypsies had broken camp fast.
Too fast.
Heart had seen the guards shouting at them.
Feeling her worries rise, Heart tied the scarf around her neck.
She eased forward, then listened again before she stepped out of the trees.
The road was empty as far as she could see in both directions.
She turned and called out to Kip and the unicorns.
Kip barked and dashed forward. The unicorns cantered gracefully through the dappled sunlight, then slowed once they got close.
Heart led off, walking fast.
The morning was cool and bright. The road dust had been settled by a heavy dew.
The birds were wide awake.
Their songs overlapped and blended, a tangled chorus.
Heart lengthened her stride.
She wanted to get as far from the forge path as she could before anyone saw them.
If the guardsmen had been looking for Moonsilver, she didnât want anyone to guess that Joseph had helped her.
She didnât want to bring him trouble.
Kip barked suddenly and raced off through the trees.
Heart watched him go and smiled. He loved chasing squirrels.
She glanced at Moonsilver.
Moonsilver looked like a lordâs horse now, not a unicorn.
Avamirâs braided halter made her look like a well-bred stable mare. A little thin, maybe, but beautiful.
âBut I still look like a Gypsy girl,â Heart said aloud. She flipped her sash and jingled the tiny bells tied into the fringe.
Avamir whuffled a long breath out through her nostrils.
âI do, though,â Heart said, turning. âWhat will people think when they â¦â
The mare lifted her head sharply and turned to look back down the road.
Heart stopped midsentence and turned.
She saw the shape of someone walking toward them in the early light.
There were woods on either side of the road.
It didnât matter.
It was too late to hide.
Heart pulled the Gypsy scarf from her neck.
She put it in her carry-sack.
CHAPTER THREE
A vamir moved closer to Heart. Moonsilver came up on her other side.
Heart reached up carefully and took hold of their halters. Then she turned again.
The woman coming up behind them looked familiar. She was waving, gesturing for Heart to stop.
âWho are you?â the woman called out.
Her voice was sharp.
The forest became silent.
All the songbirds stopped singing.
The woman walked through a patch of sunlight, and Heart saw that she was carrying an armload of books.
Heart felt her stomach tighten. It was the womanfrom Thoren who had been so rude to her and Tibbs when theyâd asked
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