The Halfling’s Gem (51 page)

“Might I have a room,” Regis asked, “to put my things and to rest away the weariness of a long road?”

“We’ll see to it,” Catti-brie offered.

“And for your attendants?” Bruenor asked.

“Oh,” stammered Regis, searching for a reply. “I … came alone. The southerners do not take well to the chill of a northern spring, you know.”

“Well, off with ye, then,” said Bruenor. “Suren it be me turn to set out a feast for the pleasure of yer belly.”

Regis rubbed his hands together eagerly and left with Wulfgar and Catti-brie, the three of them breaking into tales of their latest adventures before they had even left the room.

“Suren few folk in Calimport have ever heared o’ me name, elf,” Bruenor said to Drizzt after the others had gone. “And who south o’ Longsaddle would be knowing of the wedding?” He turned a sly eye on his dark friend. “Suren the little one brings a bit of his treasure along with him, eh?”

Drizzt had come to the same conclusion the moment Regis had entered the room. “He is running.”

“Got himself into trouble again,” Bruenor snorted, “or I’m a bearded gnome!”

R.A. Salvatore was born in Massachusetts in 1959. His love affair with fantasy, and with literature in general, began during his sophomore year of college when he was given a copy of J.R.R. Tolkien’s
The Lord of the Rings
as a Christmas gift. He promptly changed his major from computer science to journalism. He received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Communications in 1981, then returned for the degree he always cherished, the Bachelor of Arts in English. He began writing seriously in 1982, penning the manuscript that would become
Echoes of the Fourth Magic
.

His first published novel was
The Crystal Shard
from TSR in 1988 and he is still best known as the creator of the dark elf Drizzt, one of fantasy’s most beloved characters.

THE LEGEND OF DRIZZT
BOOK VI
THE HALFLING’S GEM

©1990 TSR, Inc.
©2005 Wizards of the Coast, Inc.

All characters in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

This book is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Any reproduction or unauthorized use of the material or artwork contained herein is prohibited without the express written permission of Wizards of the Coast, Inc.

Published by Wizards of the Coast, Inc. F
ORGOTTEN
R
EALMS
, W
IZARDS OF THE
C
OAST
, and their respective logos, characters and their distinctive likenesses are property of Wizards of the Coast, Inc., in the U.S.A. and other countries.

Map by Todd Gamble
Originally published as Book Three of the Icewind Dale Trilogy in January 1990.

eISBN: 978-0-7869-5406-3

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