The Ghoule Overlord invades Caledonia for the first time in a thousand years ... While his assassins hunt the Protector, the one man with the power to stop him. Bryen, Aislinn, and the Blood Company race for the safety of Haven. If they don't reach the Magii stronghold in time, their deaths are certain ... and the fate of Caledonia will be sealed. In The Protector's Reckoning, Book 5 of The Tales of Caledonia, Bryen realizes that he needs more than the Talent to defeat the Ghoule Overlord. Acknowledging the risk, he taps into the power of the Seventh Stone. Fearing that Bryen is learning to master the powerful artifact, the Ghoule Overlord unleashes his deadliest assassins so that he can reclaim the Seventh Stone and destroy the Weir once and for all. With the Slayers right behind them, Bryen, Aislinn, and the Blood Company seek refuge at Haven, hoping that they can reach the island before the beasts feed on their flesh. But the Ghoule Overlord and his Slayers aren't the only threat that Bryen must overcome. The added power of the Seventh Stone contains both the Talent and the Curse. If he loses control, he could become something worse than the evil that he is trying to defeat. Knowing this, Bryen can't help but wonder who will try to kill him first -- friend or foe?