Book Four: The Trap — 4.

Colin and Arthur check into an ancient coastal inn near Tintagel, noting grotesque carvings that resemble Svangur. Arthur claims the troll has haunted the region for centuries. After a restless night, Colin runs the cliffs, musing on ruins and power, before meeting Arthur for breakfast to press him about the troll.

Arthur explains that adults cannot consciously perceive Svangur unless aided; the unconscious may register him, which explains old carvings. He produces the Surrealist’s Glass, warning Colin not to view people through it. When Colin tests the lens, he spots a blinking eye embedded in a doorframe—Arthur identifies it as a butchered dryad lingering in the inn’s beams.

They review Colin’s search method: parameters from Arthur’s lore (troll’s diet, hoard in caverns, affinity for blood-soaked sites, amphibious nature) were combined with missing‑child data to isolate clusters of fat child disappearances. The algorithm flags the Slaughterbridge area, despite no modern massacres, and Arthur links it to Geoffrey of Monmouth’s account of Arthur’s final battle, supplying the bloodshed Svangur would favor.

Arthur speculates that trolls may feed cyclically, explaining few child victims over long spans, and cautions that Svangur may not cooperate. He references a talisman that might protect them but offers no guarantees.

The meeting ends with a surprise reinforcement: Robin Fellows arrives at Arthur’s call. Despite Colin’s resentment over her past role in events leading to Van’s death, Arthur frames her presence as backup for the imminent approach to Svangur’s lair.