Vidya- a city in ruins- and Ebony Hill: two halves of a community trying to find a way forward from the tragedy of the past. But theirs are not the only way. In a Battle for survival, is endurance enough? Is there more than one kind of courage? As conflict rages, Ness and her fellow islander Ronan must come to terms with themselves, with each other and with their attitudes towards violence and belonging. Will they be strong enough to survive the decisions they must make?