Whether it's a curse or a blessing, the fact remains: whenever Roger is in enough pain he can cross over to the Land of the Dead and speak to the people there. It's an unexpected gift--and one that, throughout Roger's life, has been taken advantage of by his violent uncle; the mysterious, malign Soulviners with their dark magic; and even by a queen, fighting for her queendom. But not anymore. The dangerous life of queen's fool is behind him, young Princess Stephanie sits on the throne, and Roger is living a life of his choosing. He, Maggie, and Jee have a small, out-of-the-way, increasingly prosperous inn, supported by their hard work. It's a simple, industrious life--and it's about to be destroyed. The war is not over. The savage invaders are back. And they're looking for the boy who killed their leader. They're looking for Roger.