Summary

Chapter 20, titled "The Black Island," turns the narrative focus to Shrike as he reaches the edge of the sea that Hester and Tom had crossed earlier. He is motivated by the thought of Hester as he walks across the bottom of the sea.

The narrative shifts its focus back to Tom and Hester as the lifeboat they are in lands on shore. Peavey is still positive other pirates made it off of the suburb as he hears shots from other parts of the island. While they are walking to find the others, Hester makes a plan to sneak aboard Airhaven and either steal a ship or link up with Anna Fang again. Tom is against this since he does not like Anti-Tractionists, which prompts Hester to drive home the fact that you cannot trust anyone but she quickly tells him that...