Summary

In Chapter 17, Robbie has been on the island for four days. Lux and the others are relieved when he is not on shore in the morning. Eliza says they should break open the good wine to celebrate his absence and asks Lux to fetch the bottle from the Azure Blue. On Jake’s boat, Lux sees “Robbie standing there, his back to [her] the lizard tattoo on his shoulder leering at [her]” (183). He claims that he is just seeing how “the other half lives” and tells her that the island is cursed (183). Lux is unnerved by his threatening tone and grabs the oyster knife lying on the table. When she lowers the blade from his eye, Robbie jumps into the water. On shore, Jake holds a gun to Robbie’s head and tells him to leave. However, instead of turning back toward...