“I actually do have—well, I had a plan. My actions had to be regulated because I was the most prominent CamCo. So as soon as the others were public, I planned to help someone else assume the center seat, so to speak. I’d become less valuable, and as long as I never enlisted, I’d get to go on my way. There was someone I had in mind, but as it turned out, she was a bit too aggressive about claiming the spotlight.”

“Heather?” Tom guessed.

Elliot’s mouth quirked. “I knew she could take my place easily. She’s lovely, and people are fascinated by her, and she always knows exactly what she should say. She’s a born politician, Tom. I suppose the problem is that she ultimately is a born politician. You can’t trust her, and at the end of the day, she’ll advance herself at any cost. Even if it comes back to haunt her.”

AS THE ELEVATOR rose, taking Tom and Elliot up to the receiving chamber for Prince Abhalleman, the CEO of Nobridis, Elliot gave Tom some quick advice. “He’s very traditional. Remember, he’s royalty back in his own country.”

Tom was confused. “He doesn’t have a country. It got neutron bombed. All the people got killed.”

“The landmass is still there, so technically, yes, it’s his country. The entire royal family’s still intact.”

“Nice of them to leave their subjects to die.”

“They weren’t their subjects at the time of the neutron bombing. They’d been overthrown.”

“So they’re not really a royal family anymore.”

“After the neutron bombings, they became royalty again. Dominion Agra and Harbinger Incorporated agreed to reinstate them.”

How convenient for them, Tom thought. They’d gotten overthrown, then their former subjects all died, so they got their throne back.

Prince Hanreid Abhalleman had them escorted into his presence chamber. Tom was planning to go last, but Elliot volunteered him to go earlier—he said it was a “ripping off the Band-Aid” approach. Tom was marched in before the prince in his traditional robes. The prince waited expectantly.

“He wants you to bow,” Elliot whispered out of the side of his mouth.

Tom stayed rigid. Elliot hadn’t warned him about this part.

“Bow,” Elliot urged softly, and all the eyes in the room were on them now.

But Tom couldn’t. He didn’t bow to people, and he shouldn’t have to—this guy wasn’t his overlord. Bowing would make this guy feel he was better than him, he was superior, and Tom wasn’t going to do that. All Prince Abhalleman had was more money and power and a sense he was owed something. That was it.