Chapters 20 and 21 Summary

Chapter 20 is called "The City Destroyed." The travelers look out over the ruins of the city. It is worse than Lina could have imagined. Nothing is left standing. Buildings are fallen over and completely destroyed. Night is falling, but Caspar says they will continue into the city in the morning. Maddy points out that the road they are on falls away and it will be impossible to go any further with the wagon. Caspar is insistent, taking out his papers and muttering numbers to himself. Maddy grows angry with him. There is no treasure, she yells. The city is flattened.

Later, Maddy and Lina speak about the ruined city. Lina cannot imagine warfare that would cause such destruction, or understand why people would use such violence toward one another. Maddy tries to explain how one group might begin to resent another...