Thanks to the efforts of Micaiah and his band of misfits, Cassius and the Bat are dead, the Time industry has been saved, and the Hands are back in power. But not everyone is grateful for the rescue, instead blaming the Akarin for causing the problem in the first place, and some would rather that the Akarin disappeared and stayed disappeared...by any means necessary.

Meanwhile, Tommen decides to head off to summer camp. He thinks it will be a good opportunity to get away from his dad and all the craziness going on, though he quickly discovers that independence isn't all it's cracked up to be. If his camp counselor isn't bad enough—a gruff retired Marine who probably shouldn't be anywhere near children—then he only has to consider that Rifun is still out there somewhere, watching him. Suddenly, being isolated from everyone who can help him doesn't sound like such a good idea.

When Rifun does show up, it's with a message and a warning that will challenge everything Tommen thought he knew about the Akari, the Akarin, the Cult, even the entire universe.