Page 44 of Thunder Road

“Wouldn’t be the first time.” Miss Eppie sighed.

“I turned a couple of our scholars loose on the St. Expeditus library, which has information from all over the world. They’relooking at lore about trolls. Apparently the most common way of dealing with them was warded lighthouses if the creatures were near the ocean, or beacons if those monsters were in mountainous areas,” Father Anne added. “Particularly in Europe, they often solved the continuity problem by making the locations into monasteries. Elsewhere, the sites were usually maintained by ascetics or meditative communes who saw it as part of their debt to society.”

“Which would make continuity less of a problem because an outside third party wasn’t going to suddenly decommission the location,” Simon noted.

“Exactly,” Father Anne replied.

“How about you, Miss Eppie, Gabriella?” Simon asked.

“I’m particularly interested in the Morris Island light,” Miss Eppie replied. “Back during the Civil War, runaway slaves found shelter on the island. I don’t doubt that a creature like a troll took advantage of people who were so vulnerable. We might find that their ghosts choose to be allies in some way when they know what’s at stake.”

“What do we need to work the ritual? Because the troll has figured out something is going on. Vic and I dodged a few strange things that could have been weirdly random—or the troll giving a warning even if our protections keep him from directly harming us.”

They listened as he told them about the incidents, wondering whether they would agree it was the troll or his imagination.

“I don’t think you can afford to see that as anything other than attacks,” Gabriella said. “The troll either didn’t have the power—right then—to do real harm, or he didn’t choose to, for some reason. But he’s reminding you that he knows you’re onto him and warning you to back off.”

“Even if we did step back—which I’ve got no intention of doing—it wouldn’t stop the troll from making me disappearwhen he powered back up to eliminate the threat,” Simon pointed out.

“True,” Miss Eppie agreed. “I don’t think you dare ease up. If we can bind the troll, we can save a lot of lives.”

“We have a solid version of the incantation, and I’ve put together a ritual warding ceremony that I think will be strong enough to last for at least a year at a time,” Father Anne replied. “It’s also simple enough and not too weird if anyone happens to notice what we’re doing.”

“No eye of newt and tongue of frog?” Gabriella joked.

“Fortunately not,” Father Anne said. “Now we just have to come up with the right people.”

“I’m going to talk to a couple of my Skeleton Crew,” Simon told them. “I think they have enough ability and experience to help with the wardings, even if they don’t become the keepers. We’re going to need guardians for the Georgetown and Sullivan’s Islands lights who have more power and occult know-how because they’re the strongest focal places.”

“St. Expeditus can staff the guardians and ensure the lighthouses are handled going forward,” Father Anne said. “That keeps continuity and a central point of contact to ensure the ceremony is done right.”

“Thank you.” Simon, Miss Eppie, and Gabriella all spoke at the same time.

“You’re very welcome. Having said that, there’s strength in numbers,” Father Anne replied. “Teag is talking to the supernatural community in Charleston to see if there are any of the witches and psychics who want to help. We’ve also got a necromancer, so any of the ghosts of the lighthouse keepers who want to continue to be part of it are welcome.”

“We have people from Voudon plus brujas and curanderos who will add their power,” Gabriella said, and Miss Eppie nodded.

“I can gather the ghosts who want to maintain their oaths.” Simon paused to take a drink of coffee. “I’m going to reach out to the folks at St. Cyprian University. What about the descendants of the keepers?”

Miss Eppie shrugged. “If they want to help, the more the merrier. Having vestigial energy from the original guardians should strengthen the working.”

“I agree,” Father Anne said. “Our people will be doing the magic, speaking the incantation, and working the spell. Having sympathetic psychic energy surrounding us will lend us power and help protect us when we’re vulnerable. The troll isn’t going to want to be reined in.”

“When we’re done, does it void the deal with the motorcycle club?” Simon knew that many of the sacrificed members went willingly, but he still hated the idea of a blood offering.

“It should,” Father Anne replied. “From everything I’ve found, yes. Because we’re going to bind the troll by the guardian magic to stop him from preying on humans—all humans.”

“What happens then?” Miss Eppie asked. “He starves?”

“Not likely,” Gabriella spoke up. “There are animals and fish. He can sustain himself. But he will be weakened, and feeding from sources like that won’t strengthen his magic.”

“Correct,” Father Anne confirmed. “That squares with what we’ve been able to find from the St. Expeditus archive and European lore. I’m pleased to hear it validated from other magical legacies.”

Miss Eppie’s root work drew from African sources, while Gabriella tapped traditions from Central and South America as well as Mexico.

“What about logistics? Other than the guardians, is there a benefit to having people physically present at the locations when we do the ritual? Because for several of the spots, it’s going to be a stretch just to get one person close enough,” Simon asked.

“I’ve been thinking about that,” Father Anne replied. “I think if you set up a group in Myrtle Beach and we have another group here in Charleston, we should be able to focus and concentrate the energy. We’ll be closest to the two most powerful lighthouses—Georgetown and Sullivan’s Island, and not far from the remaining, lesser lights. I can ask Teag if he’s got any contacts down in the Hilton Head area who could hold space for us, but those lighthouses aren’t really part of what we’re doing.”

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