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Back Any Way the Wind Blows Save as PDF
Chapters (100)
  1. Title Page
  2. Copyright Notice
  3. Dedication
  4. 1
  5. 2
  6. 3
  7. 4
  8. 5
  9. 6
  10. 7
  11. 8
  12. 9
  13. 10
  14. 11
  15. 12
  16. 13
  17. 14
  18. 15
  19. 16
  20. 17
  21. 18
  22. 19
  23. 20
  24. 21
  25. 22
  26. 23
  27. 24
  28. 25
  29. 26
  30. 27
  31. 28
  32. 29
  33. 30
  34. 31
  35. 32
  36. 33
  37. 34
  38. 35
  39. 36
  40. 37
  41. 38
  42. 39
  43. 40
  44. 41
  45. 42
  46. 43
  47. 44
  48. 45
  49. 46
  50. 47
  51. 48
  52. 49
  53. 50
  54. 51
  55. 52
  56. 53
  57. 54
  58. 55
  59. 56
  60. 57
  61. 58
  62. 59
  63. 60
  64. 61
  65. 62
  66. 63
  67. 64
  68. 65
  69. 66
  70. 67
  71. 68
  72. 69
  73. 70
  74. 71
  75. 72
  76. 73
  77. 74
  78. 75
  79. 76
  80. 77
  81. 78
  82. 79
  83. 80
  84. 81
  85. 82
  86. 83
  87. 84
  88. 85
  89. 86
  90. 87
  91. 88
  92. 89
  93. 90
  94. 91
  95. EPILOGUE
  96. AGATHA
  97. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  98. Also by Rainbow Rowell
  99. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  100. Newsletter Sign-up

Daphne shrieks and throws her arms around me.

“And you, Martin.”

I stole Philippa’s voice.

I was trying to steal Simon’s.

It hasn’t come back …

Daphne is weeping. I peel her arms away from me.

It never came back.

I lay a hand on Simon’s shoulder. “I have to go,” I say. It’s not a whisper, because everyone in the room is shrieking and crying.

Simon looks concerned. “Go where?”

“I know this is your fault!” he shouted at me that day. Out on the Great Lawn. The day I stole Philippa’s voice.

I’m standing up. “I’ll catch up with you later.”

He’s standing, too. “I’ll come now.”

“I know you did this!” he cried.

I pat his back. I try to push him down. “No, you stay. I need—” I’m walking away. “You stay. I’ll see you later.” I’m running away. Out of the pub, onto the street. I need a car, a taxi.

Philippa.

I stole her voice.

I stole her voice.

And it never came back.

57

SIMON

I knew that Baz didn’t like Smith—that he doesn’t believe in him—but I didn’t realize he was taking it so personally. I guess it’s because of his stepmum and his dad. Maybe Baz thinks that if Daphne gets stronger, she won’t want to go home.

At the moment, Daphne’s crying like we’ve just won the World Cup. When Baz ran off, she threw her arms around me instead. Six people. Smith is going to heal six people, all in one night. How long before he’s helped every magician in this room?

He’s motioning for everyone to calm down, but I don’t think they will.

“I won’t be casting the spell tonight,” he says. “I hope to spend the next day in meditation. Tomorrow we’ll be meeting somewhere very special…”

The crowd gets quiet, waiting.

“Watford.”

A few people gasp. A few people clap. And laugh. They’re delighted.

“Headmistress Bunce has invited us to use the White Chapel!”

“I was married there,” Daphne whispers to me.

I killed the Mage there, I decide not to say.

Smith steps closer to the edge of the stage. “If there are people in your life whose hearts are softening to our message … bring them tomorrow. Let them see the truth of what we’re offering. And if there are people in your life who still harbour doubts, invite them, too! Invite everyone! Let’s throw our doors open to the entire World of Mages and show them what equality looks like! That magic belongs to us all!”

The room goes wild for him. I’m clapping, too. Good for Smith. Good for Daphne. Good for everyone in this room who might have a chance at something bigger and brighter.