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"I have to stay," the unusually dedicated halfling remarked "I’ve much to do"
Both Drizzt and Catti-brie nodded Regis had changed over the last fewthe tione to Menzoberranzan-Drizzt to end the threat to Mithril Hall, Catti-brie to find Drizzt-Regis had taken cois, who had spentthe softest couch to lie upon, had ienerals, even Thibbledorf Pwent, with his fire and energy Now the halfling would have loved to go, both of them knew, but he remained true to histo find the best way to , and iis’s hands went to the chain about his neck He lifted the ruby pendant over his head and casually tossed it to Drizzt
Another testarowth, Drizzt knew, as he stared down at the sparkling ruby affixed to the chain This was the halfling’s is had stolen fro had guarded it, coveted it, like a le cub, at least until this point
Drizzt continued to look at the ruby, felt hi down to depths that promised
The drow shook his head and forced himself to look away Even without one to command it, the enchanted ruby had reached out for him! Never had he witnessed such a powerful chariven it back to hily swapped it when they had met in the tunnels outside Menzoberranzan after Drizzt’s escape It was unexpected and iiven it back to Drizzt, but what the significance ht be, Drizzt had not yet discerned
"You should be careful before using that on Berkthgar," Regis said, drawing Drizzt froures out that sorcery was used against him, the alliance h," Catti-brie agreed She looked to Drizzt
"Only if we need it," the drow re the chain about his neck The pendant settled near his breast and the ivory unicorn head, syoddess, that rested there
Another dwarf hit the door and bounced off, then lay groaning on the floor
"Bah!" they heard Pwent snort "Ye’re a bunch o’ elf-lickin’ pixies! I’ll show ye how it’s done!"
Regis nodded-that was his cue-and i the metal plate out from behind the portal
"Watch out," he warned his two coeneral direction of where Pouldentrance
"I’ for the other, nor woman had no desire to see Pwent Likely, he would pinch her cheek with his grubby fingers and tell her to "work on that beard" so that she ht be a beautiful wo He held up the ruby, nodded a silent thanks to Regis, and rushed out into the hall after Catti-brie
They hadn’t gone a dozen steps when they heard the training door explode, followed by Pwent’s hysterical laughter and the adade
"We should send the lot of them to Menzoberranzan," Catti-brie said dryly "Pwent’d chase the whole city to the ends of the world!"
Drizzt-who had grown up a the unbelievably powerful drow houses and had seen the wrath of the high priestesses andhe had witnessed in his years on the surface-did not disagree
Councilor Firble ran a wrinkled hand over his nearly bald pate, feeling uncoht Firble was a svirfneblin, a deep gnohty pounds of wiry muscles packed into a three-and-a-half-foot fra as well as the svirfnebli, and no race, except perhaps the rare pech, understood the ways of the deep stone so well
Still, Firble was more than a bit afraid now, out in the (hopefully) edenstone, the city that was his hoht, but the orders frono torch in his hand
No gnome except for one Firble’s companion this day carried no torch, for he possessed no hands Belwar Dissengulp, Most Honored Burrow Warden of Blingdenstone, had lost his hands to drow, to Drizzt Do’Urden’s brother Dinin, h, the svirfnebli were not without compassion, and their artisans had fashioned marvelous replacements of pure, enchanted ht arm and a two-headed pickaxe on his left
"Completed the circuit, we have," Firble reo!"
"Not so!" Belwar gruer than those ofhis stout, barrel-chested build
"There are no drow in the tunnels," Firble insisted "Not a fight in three weeks!" It was true enough; afterdrow frodenstone, the corridors had gone strangely quiet Belwar understood that Drizzt Do’Urden, his friend, had soe, and he feared that Drizzt had been captured or killed
"Quiet, it is," Firble said er of his own volume A shudder coursed the smaller svirfneblin’s spine Belwar had forced him out here-it was his turn in the rotation, but normally one as experienced and venerable as Firble would have been excused froh, and for soreed with the most honored burroarden
Not that Firble was unaccustonodenstone with actual contacts in Menzoberranzan, and was more acquainted with the tunnels near the drow city than any other deep gno Firble fits these days, particularly frouised Catti-brie had been captured by the svirfnebli, and subsequently recognized as no enereat personal risk, had been the one to show her quicker, secret ways into Menzoberranzan
Noasn’t worried about any drow in the tunnels, Firble knew The tunnels were quiet The gnome patrols and other secret allies could find no hint that any droere about at all, not even along the dark elves’ nor important had happened in the drow city, that much was obvious, and it seemed obvious, too, that Drizzt and that troublesome Catti-brie were somehow involved That was the real reason Belwar had forced Firble out here, Firble knew, and he shuddered again to think that hy King Schnicktick had so readily agreed with Belwar
"So his cards, as though he understood Firble’s line of silent reasoning "So in Menzoberranzan"
Firble eyed the most honored burroarden suspiciously He kneould soon be asked of hi with that trickster Jarlaxle again
"The stones themselves are uneasy," Belent on
"As if the droill soon march," Firble interjected dryly
"Cosireed, in an ancient svirfneblin saying that translated roughly into "the settled ground before the earthquake," or, as it was more commonly known to surface dwellers, "the calm before the stor Schnicktick desires," Firble reasoned, seeing no sense in holding back the guess any longer He kneould not be suggesting soest to hiain, this time more deterdenstone, were convinced that the droould soon h the most direct tunnels to the surface, to where Drizzt Do’Urden called hodenstone, beyond Menzoberranzan, the drow first would have to set out west, and would co was that thought that King Schnicktick had ordered scouting parties far to the east and south, as far from home and Menzoberranzan as the svirfnebli had ever roaether, if the runome wanted that, Belwar and Firble perhaps least of all Both were old, nearing their second full century, and both were tied, heart and soul, to this city called Blingdenstone
But a all the svirfnebli, these two understood the power of a drow march, understood that if Menzoberranzan’s arno, I will," Firble said with a resigned sigh "He will tell h always is the price!"
Belwar said nothing, and syreedy drow informant The norance would be her He also realized that Firble understood, as well, and that the councilor’s apparent resignation was just a part of Firble’s bluster Belwar had come to know Firble well, and found that he liked the oft-conome
Noar, and every other svirfneblin in Blingdenstone, desperately needed Firble and his contacts