Page 18 of Thunder Road

Mrs. Brighton smiled despite tearing up at Simon’s recount of the ghost’s response. “Yes, I have it. I haven’t read it…just never seemed the right time.”

“You will need help. One lighthouse isn’t enough. Best to get a descendant, otherwise need witches.”

“What is the energy the lighthouses keep at bay?”

“We called it the Wellspring because it was old and deep. It was part of the land. That’s why it could keep the creature contained.”

“If we can raise the wardings again, will it be able to keep the creature at bay?” she asked,

“As I understand it, yes,”the ghost replied. Simon could tell the spirit was tiring.

“What is the creature? Where did it come from?”

The ghost paused long enough that Simon wasn’t sure it would answer.

“It calls itself Trogre.”

Simon’s heart sank. “Trogre? I’ve heard that word before.”

“What does it mean?” Mrs. Brighton asked.

Simon met her gaze. “Troll.”

4

VIC

“Troll? Are you fucking kidding me? Like the ugly toys with the green hair?” Vic responded.

Simon waited him out. “Not really. Trolls are one of the most ancient creatures in stories from across the world and most cultures. They are magical, they can shapeshift or make themselves invisible, and they can make people disappear.”

Vic paced behind his desk while Ross watched with amusement. “Seriously?”

Simon filled him in on what he had learned that day and the séance. “That’s what the last keeper of the Georgetown Light believed the guardians and the Wellspring kept at bay. I’m guessing the Wellspring—the energy around the lighthouses—is a type of genius loci, but I need to confirm that. I’m headed to do some more research. The ghost thinks we can restore the wardings. We’d just need our own team to keep them refreshed.”

“You make that sound easy.”

Simon paused, and Vic knew his husband was waiting out his mood. “The original wardings were maintained by lighthouse keepers who weren’t witches. They weren’t necessarily descendants, although a few lighthouses did pass from father to son to grandson. That means that the magic can probablybe done by anyone who understands the necessary powers involved.”

Vic sighed. “Okay. That’s not the weirdest thing we’ve ever done.”

“Thank you—I think.”

“And we’ve discovered something else,” Vic went on. “We looked at disappearances around Myrtle Beach since the lighthouses stopped being manned. There are a lot.”

“Not surprising, given that it’s a beach and there are a plenty of people who come through here who might be looking to start over. We both did.”

“We didn’t disappear—we relocated. Kept the same names, changed jobs, and people knew where we went,” Vic noted. “I get what you’re saying—some people might have plans to erase their footprint and become someone else. But even accounting for that, over the years, there’s a higher-than-average rate for a city this size. So we’re looking into it. I hate to say it, but if we rule out everything else, it’s probably something woo-woo.”

“Mrs. Brighton is looking for her uncle’s journal. She inherited it but hadn’t felt comfortable reading it. Now that we know he recorded his ritual there, it’s a start,” Simon replied. “There’s also a big collection of everything to do with the lighthouses at St. Cyprian College. That’ll be the next step once we know what Frank wrote.”

“There are a lot of lighthouses just in the Carolinas.”

“Apparently only seven in North Carolina count to anchor the magic, and all the ones in South Carolina. Georgetown is first on the list. I’ll let you know what I find out. And I’m planning to be home for dinner.”

“See you then. Be careful. Love you,” Vic said.

“Right back atcha. Love you too.”

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