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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

“But I still came home with you,” he says. “Just to see what would happen. You and your friends are the most interesting people I’ve ever met—and that’s saying something. I came along because I wanted to see what would happen next.”

“Shepard—”

“But the other day, after Simon left, and you broke all your chalk, it got me thinking…” He pushes up his wire-framed glasses. “I have met so many magickal creatures. And none of them have ever offered to help me before.”

“I’m not a creature—”

“I showed my tattoos to a genie once—”

What? “Where did you find a genie?”

Shepard grins. “In a lamp.”

“You found a genie trapped in a lamp?”

“I found a genie who lived in a lamp. In South Sioux City. The point is, he didn’t offer to help me. He said, ‘I’ve got two rules: You can’t wish for more wishes, and I don’t fuck with demons.’”

“Morgana preserve us.”

Shepard’s grin goes warm. “But you didn’t say that, Penelope.”

“That’s true,” I groan. I put my face in my hands. My fingers are greasy from the sausage roll.

“You immediately offered to help.”

“I did.”

“You insisted I accept your help.”

“Yeah…”

“Because you are a good person. A heroic person. You’re, like, who I’m out here trying to be in the world.”

“What?” My head jerks up. How can he say that with a straight face? With a sincere face?

“I accept your help, Penelope.”

I groan again, loudly. “Shepard, nooooo. You were right all along.”

“No. You were right. I should trust you. I do trust you!” He’s gesturing broadly with an unopened bottle of orange juice. “You’re a wise and powerful witch, and I’m grateful for your help.”

“No! No, no, no. I’m none of those things. I’m an idiot!”

“Are you kidding? I’ve known you for two weeks, and I’ve seen you make one daring escape after another. I watched you kill three vampires, Penelope. Single-handedly!”

“Shepard, you only saw me get out of terrible situations because I had put myself—and my friends—into those situations. I only make bad decisions. It’s even worse than you realize! The day before we met, I got dumped by someone who had apparently already dumped me multiple times. I was just too thick to figure it out! I’m the reason we were on that disastrous road trip. And it wasn’t wise of me to kill those vampires. It’s probably on YouTube!”

“Oh, it’s definitely on YouTube. I’ve watched it.”

“I’ll probably lose my ring over it!”

“Penelope—” he says, as if I’m just now getting out of hand.