To Baldur's Gate

Chapter Thirty-One

"We've made it."

The Szarr Palace stood before us, a grand feat of architecture that had taken at least a century to build.

"The leader of your vampire cult lives out in the open in Baldur's Gate like this?" Shadowheart asked.

"So that's what this building is," Wyll said, gazing at the building thoughtfully. "I always wondered what this creepy castle held. Not too surprised that it's vampires."

"Enough chatter." Lae'zel looked to me. "Where is the entrance? We must get in."

I led us to the main gates of the palace, not caring if anyone tried to stop us, but knowing no one would. If Cazador truly needed me to complete his rite, there would be no resistance to my being here in the castle. And just as I had predicted, the gates swung open on their own magical accord and welcomed us inside. I marched through the grand foyer, past the suits of armor and continued on until I reached the hallway filled with the spawn's quarters.

"What is this place?" Gale asked. He reached for one of the doors and I caught his hand mid-air.

"Don't touch anything," I said. "If my brothers and sisters are sleeping we do not wish to wake them. Unless you feel like becoming someone's lunch today. We need to find Godey."

"What's a Godey?" Karlach asked. She shuffled from foot to foot. Anxious to get to Tav.

Next to us, bits of wallpaper began to shimmer just the slightest bit, and I recognized the magic. "A hidden door - one of Cazador's many tricks. This was where he threw us when we were to be punished. Come, quickly." I pressed my hand to the wall and watched as it disapeared into an abyss on the other side. This was the right place. Motioning to the others, I stepped through, and was met with the smell of blood and rust, and I heard the slight scraping of bone against armor next to me. I looked and there Godey was, ever-loyal to his master, standing guard at his post.

"Who is this? Child, is that you? It's been so long since you came to see Godey," Godey rasped, his voice nothing more than wind through his bones.

"Oh, that's a Godey," Karlach discovered as she came through the wall. "Can we kill it?"

"What a naughty boy, bringing these uninvited guests to the castle. This is your home, child, not a party house."

"This is not my home." I clenched my jaw and my fists. "Where is the signet ring?"

"Godey mustn't give it to you, boy. The master has been waiting for you." Godey's legs cracked and snapped as he took a step back to see all of my companions that had entered the room. He knew he couldn't take all of us on, but he'd be damned if he didn't try. "I do miss our little visits, little spawn. You used to sing so sweetly for me."

"You tortured us, for days, and left us to starve here!" I shouted.

"We've brought Astarion back for the ritual," Shadowheart interrupted, surprising everyone. "Cazador hired us to retrieve him as a bounty. We need to get Astarion back to Cazador."

Godey ground his teeth together. "Master would be very pleased to see the boy again."

"Have you seen Tav? Is she with Cazador?" Gale asked Godey.

"Tav. The drowling girl?" Godey barked out a dry laugh. "She is with the master. She's his newest pet. Soon she'll be in here with Godey, just as the others were."

"You're lying," I hissed. I threw myself at him, but Wyll and Lae'zel restrained me, taking their roles as captures seriously.

"Take us to her," Shadowheart demanded. The authority in her voice came straight from her goddess and it moved Godey enough to have him hand over the ring.