The Tomb has acknowledged Chase's lineage, and declared him Emperor to the universe. But what good is being an Emperor if you don't have an Empire? While the Wolfhounds have conquered, or perhaps liberated, a fair number of planets, the core worlds have not yet been touched. Furthermore, the crown jewel of them all, Cor Imperii, still stands under the control of Speaker Phillip K. Neill, and the rest of the members of the coup that seized control of the empire over a decade ago.
But Neill's days are numbered, whether he fully realizes it or not, as his dictatorship is slowly dismantled, one piece at a time and he clings to whatever hopes he has left. While the road before Chase is still long, and still fraught with peril and a good many dangers. However, for Chase and the Wolfhounds, the end is finally within view - now it's only a matter of time.
The challenges may be different, but they are by no means less than the ones he's faced previously. In fact some of them he may find to be harder, now that he is no longer 'pretending' to be the prince, having proven to all his right to reign and having finally accepted the responsibilities that have now become his.
