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Back Any Way the Wind Blows
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

“You don’t have to follow me, Niamh. You don’t have to listen to any of my suggestions.”

I keep walking.

When I glance over my shoulder, Niamh is a few steps behind me.

66

PENELOPE

The new Chosen One has set up shop in old orphanage, apparently. We’re standing under a sign that says HOME FOR WAIFS.

“Well, that’s dramatic,” I say.

“Wait till you see him,” Baz mutters.

Baz has been hammering on the door with a brass knocker far past the point of politeness. There’s no sign of anyone coming to answer it.

“Maybe everyone’s already left for Watford,” Simon says, trying to look in a window.

Baz drops the knocker in disgust. “Or maybe Philippa went home. Or out for brunch. Or to the moon. She could be anywhere.”

“We could track her,” I say.

Baz lowers an eyebrow. “How? We don’t know her, we don’t have anything that belongs to her…”

“We have her magic.” I fish out my gem.

“Bunce, wait—”

My hand is already over Baz’s duffel. “Find your way home!”

The bag jerks away from his body. “Seven snakes!” he says. “What if you erased the tape?”

“I didn’t erase anything. The spell worked—now follow it.”

His bag bumps against the door.

“She must still be inside…” Simon cups his hands around his mouth and leans against the window. “Philippa!”

“She goes by Pippa now,” Baz says.

“Pippa!” Simon shouts.

Baz’s bag knocks harder against the door. He secures it to his chest with one hand and bangs on the door with the other.

“Honestly. Are you a mage or a mouse?” I hold my gem over the lock. “Open Sesame!”

“Now she’s breaking and entering,” Shepard sighs.

“I didn’t break anything,” I say, shouldering Baz out of the way and opening the door. I step inside. “Hello? Is anyone here?”

My voice echoes. The foyer is empty, and it smells old, the kind of old you can never air out. There’s a staircase leading to the next floor. I crane my head to look up.

The rest of them have come in behind me. Shepard moves to my left side and takes my hand. I like that he knows to leave my right free for casting.

“Hello?” Simon calls up the stairs. “Pippa?”

I turn to Baz. “Which way is your bag pulling?”

“I can’t tell.” He’s frowning down at the bag, letting it float away from his chest. “Forward, I think, but also possibly—” His head jerks up, eyes sharp.

The rest of us go still, listening. There are footsteps somewhere deeper in the building. A door creaking.

“Philippa?” Simon says, too soft for anyone but us to hear him.

“Come on,” I say, pushing Baz forward. “Let her magic lead.”