BooksBarbecue
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

Neither do I. But if this means Snow is the once and future king, I can’t say I’ll be surprised at this point.

“It’s a family sword,” Jamie says, still looking gobsmacked. “Made for the House of Salisbury.”

“I’m not a Salisbury by blood.” Lady Ruth’s voice is trembling. “Once it’s planted, I can’t budge it.”

“I…” Simon looks like he wants to set the sword down, but that seems like another faux pas.

Lady Salisbury rushes towards him, past the sword, to throw her arms around him. “Oh, my child, my child!”

Does this mean …

Could Simon be …

SIMON

Lady Ruth is hugging me even more tightly than usual. I move the sword behind me.

“I’m sorry,” I say.

“You’re a Salisbury,” Jamie says, still staring at me.

“I’m certain I’m not. It must be a fluke—I’m not even a magician.”

“Oh, my child,” Lady Ruth says again. She’s crying. “My child.”

“I’m not—”

She pulls away from me and takes my face in her hands, like she’s looking for something there. “I’ve waited so long for you. Where is your mother?”

“I’m sorry?” I whisper.

“Come!” She pulls me out of the dining room.

“Lady Ruth—” I say, letting her drag me. I look back at Baz, but he just shrugs, as confused as I am. He and Jamie follow us up the stairs, to Lady Ruth’s bedroom, to the shrine she keeps by the window.

Jamie’s candle burns bright.

But her daughter’s candle has finally sputtered out. A thread of smoke curls above it.

“I’m so sorry,” I say.

What have I done?

85

LADY RUTH

Lucy.

Her candle.

She’s gone.

Or perhaps …

Simon Snow is standing before me, holding my husband’s sword. I can see Lucy in the set of his shoulders. And Davy in the set of his eyes. Why didn’t I see it before?

Lucy is gone. But perhaps … perhaps she let go.

I told her to bring the child home. I prayed and pleaded. Bring it home. Let me help you keep it safe.

And here he is.

Here he must be.

My Lucy’s child, my flesh and blood.

My Simon.

86

BAZ

“I’m sorry!” Simon is looking frantically between Lady Salisbury and the candle.

“It’s all right,” I say, trying to get to him.

But Lady Ruth is hugging him again. “It’s you. You’ve finally come home.”

“This is a mistake—” Simon insists.

“My sister had a child…” Jamie Salisbury says, standing beside his mother. “She told us that she had a child.”

“I can’t be—”

“You must be,” Jamie says gently, pointing at the sword. “Merlin, Simon, you even look like him.”

Oh …

He does.

Doesn’t he?

Those narrow eyes. That tilt of his head.

I thought …

I thought he’d learned it. Was imitating it.