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Yet even Spokesain froe and hold his silence if Keest and es, with a fleet est

"Fellowforward over the table to looer in the eyes of his peers "Let us learn in to worry We have fought off barbarian invaders and worse enough times to be confident that the defenses of even the srowing as Kened to destroy the halfling’s credibility Drizzt had decided early on in their planning that Keis knew the spokesman better than the drow and knew that Kemp would not be easily manipulated Keos in his ownto sudden fits of violent rage that intiis had tried to steer Drizzt away from this part of their plan, but the droas adarees to accept the alliance with Lonelywood," Drizzt had reasoned, "Ter the only other village on the lake, will have no choice but to go along Bryn Shander will certainly not oppose a unified alliance of the four towns on the largest and most prosperous lake, and Easthaven will make six in the pact, a clear majority"

The rest would then have no choice but to join in the effort Drizzt had believed that Caer-Dineval and Caer-Konig, fearing that Easthaven would receive special consideration in future councils, would put on a blusterous show of loyalty, hoping theain favor in the eyes of Cassius Good Mead and Dougan’s Hole, the tns on Redwaters, though relatively safe from an invasion froht communities

But all of this was is clearly realized when he saw Ke at him froreatest obstacle in forance, the powerful town ht believe that it could withstand any barbarian raid And if it did e to survive, the destruction of soht actually prove profitable

"You say only that you have learned of an invasion," Keathered this valuable and, no doubt, hard to find infor on his temples He knehere Kemp’s question would lead, but there was no way that he could avoid the truth "From a friend who often travels the tundra," he answered honestly

"The drow?" Ke over hiis found hi’s father had once warned hi with hu to him, as they would to their own children At ti painfully true to Regis He wiped a bead of moisture from his upper lip

"I cannot speak for the rest of you," Kerave warning in an absurd light, "but I have tooon the words of a drow elf!" Again the burly spokesorwal of Ter’s failing cause "Perhaps we should let the spokesman from Lonelywood continue If his words are true"

"His words are the echoes of a drow’s lies!" Keht off the barbarians before, and - "

But then Ke up on the council table This was the most precarious part of Drizzt’s plan The drow had shown faith in it, describing it is felt i all about him He clasped his hands behind his back and tried to appear in control so that Cassius wouldn’t take any iorwal’s diversion, Regis had slipped the ruby pendant out from under his waistcoat It sparkled on his chest as he walked up and down, treating the table as though his personal stage

"What do you know of the drow to jest of him so?" he demanded of the others, pointedly Kele person that he has harmed? No! You chastise him for the crimes of his race, yet have none of you ever considered that Drizzt Do’Urden walks a us because he has rejected the ways of his people?" The silence in the hall convinced Regis that he had either been iant or foolish to think his little speech sufficient to accomplish the task

He walked over to face Ke down, but the spokeshter

Regis had to act quickly He bent down slightly and raise his hand to his chin, by appearance to scratch an itch though in truth to set the ruby pendant spinning, tapping with his arm as it passed He then held the silence of the moment patiently and counted as Drizzt had instructed Ten seconds passed and Keh, but Regis, surprised and apprehensive at the ease hich he had accoin testing the drow’s beliefs

"Surely you can see the wisdoested calmly Then in a whisper that only Keuidance, great Kemp A military alliance would only enhance your stature and influence"

The effect was dazzling

"Perhaps there is ’s words than we first believed," Ke the ruby

Stunned, Regis straightened up and quickly slipped the stone back under his waistcoat Ke dreahts, as he rubbed his dried eyes The spokesos couldn’t seeestion was planted deeply into his mind Keed

"We should hear well the words of Regis," he declared loudly "For we shall be none the worse fro nothing e, Jensin Brent leaped up from his chair "Spokesman Kemp speaks wisely," he said "Number the people of Caer-Dineval, ever proponents of the united efforts of Ten-Towns, a the army that shall repel the horde!"

The rest of the spokesmen lined up behind Keger show of loyalty than Brent’s

Regis had much to be proud of when he left the council hall later that day, and his hopes for the survival of Ten-Towns had returned Yet the halfling found his thoughts consumed by the implications of the power he had discovered in his ruby He worked to figure the most failsafe way in which he could turn this new-found power of inducing cooperation into profit and coive ate of Bryn Shander and headed for the appointed spot where he would meet with Drizzt and Bruenor