a pocket, the other to her generous waist-length hair, both no doubt reaching for weapons of some sort. He understood then that this newcomer was a leader among the group.
"Dwahvel Tiggerwillies, at your service," she said with a graceful bow. "At your service, but not at your whim," she added with a smile.
"Tiggerwillies?" Entreri echoed softly, glancing back at Dondon.
"A cousin," the fat halfling explained with a shrug. "The most powerful halfling in all of Calimport and the newest proprietor of the Copper Ante."
The assassin looked back to see the female halfling completely at ease, hands in her pockets.
"You understand, of course, that I did not come in here alone, not to face a man of Artemis Entreri's reputation," Dwahvel said.
That brought a grin to Entreri's face as he imagined the many halflings concealed about the room. It struck him as a half-sized mock-up of another similar operation, that of Jarlaxle the dark elf mercenary in Menzoberranzan. On the occasions when he had to face the always well-protected Jarlaxle, though, Entreri had understood without doubt that if he made even the slightest wrong move, or if Jarlaxle or one of the drow guards ever perceived one of Entreri's movements as threatening, his life would have been at an abrupt end. He couldn't imagine now that Dwahvel Tiggerwillies, or any other halfling for that matter, could command such well-earned respect. Still, he hadn't come here for a fight, even if that old warrior part of him perceived Dwahvel's words as a challenge.
"Of course," he replied simply. "Several with slings eye you right now," she went on. "And the bullets of those slings have been treated with an explosive formula. Quite painful and devastating." "How resourceful," the assassin said, trying to sound impressed.
"That is how we survive," Dwahvel replied. "By being resourceful. By knowing everything about everything and preparing properly."
In a single swift movement-one that would surely have gotten him killed in Jarlaxle's court-the assassin spun the dagger over and slipped it into its sheath, then stood up straight and dipped a low and respectful bow to Dwahvel.
"Half the children of Calimport answer to Dwahvel," Dondon explained. "And the other half are not children at all," he added with a wink, "and answer to Dwahvel, as well."
"And of course, both halves have watched Artemis Entreri carefully since he walked back into the city," Dwahvel explained.
"So glad that my reputation preceded me," Entreri said, sounding puffy indeed.
"We did not know it was you until recently," Dwahvel replied, just to deflate the man, who of course, was not at all conceited.
"And you discovered this by.... ?" Entreri prompted.
That left Dwahvel a bit embarrassed, realizing that she had just been squeezed for a bit of information she had not intended to reveal. "I do not know why you would expect an answer," she said, somewhat perturbed. "Nor do I begin to see any reason I should help the one who dethroned Regis from the guild of the former Pasha Pook. Regis, was in a position to aid all the other halflings of Calimport."
Entreri had no answer to that, so he offered nothing in reply.
"Still, we should talk," Dwahvel went on, turning sidelong and motioning to the door.
Entreri glanced back at Dondon.
"Leave him to his pleasures," Dwahvel explained. "You would have him freed, yet he has little desire to leave, I assure you. Fine food and fine companionship."
Entreri looked with disgust to the assorted pies and sweets, to the hardly moving Dondon, then to the two females. "He is not so demanding," one of them explained with a laugh.
"Just a soft lap to rest his sleepy head," the other added with a titter that set them both to giggling.
"I have all that I could ever desire," Dondon assured him.
Entreri just shook his head and left with Dwahvel, following the little halfling to a more private-and undoubtedly better guarded-room deeper into the Copper Ante complex. Dwahvel took a seat in a low, plush chair and motioned for the assassin to take one opposite. Entreri was hardly comfortable in the half-sized piece, his legs straight out before him.
"I do not entertain many who are not halflings," Dwahvel apologized. "We tend to be a secretive group."
Entreri saw that she was looking for him to tell her how honored he was. But, of course, he wasn't, and so he said nothing, just keeping a tight expression, eyes boring accusingly into the female.
"We hold him for his own good," Dwahvel said plainly.
"Dondon was once among the most respected thieves in Calimport,"