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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

Shepard stands up, pulling his backpack straps over his shoulders. “This helped.”

“It didn’t help,” I say. “We were just getting started—”

Then he reaches for my face, and for a completely absurd moment, I think he might be trying to kiss me good-bye—but he’s just rubbing chalk from my chin. “It helped,” he says. “You have a way of making things seem manageable. I like it.”

“But we didn’t manage anything.”

He hooks his thumbs on his backpack straps. “You have my number now. Remember, you’re going to send me derisive texts.”

I’m examining my blackboard again, like it might give me something useful to send home with him. “About what?”

“Ah, just assume I’m doing something you wouldn’t approve of.”

I look back at him. “That is a safe bet.”

He winks at me. “I know.”

Shepard is walking to the door now, and I’m walking with him. He’s going back to America. Where he doesn’t have a truck anymore. I mean, he’ll be fine. He’ll bounce back. He’s very bouncy. Unsinkable. Cursed, but unsinkable. Still totally cursed. And foolish. Too trusting. Will he even make it to Heathrow with both kidneys?

I would help him if I could.

If it were my responsibility …

No—if it were in my power. I would help him if I were a better mage.

But a better mage wouldn’t help him …

There’s a patch sewn to his backpack that says, BE SOFT.

“Shepard!” I say.

He stops in the doorway.

“Stay.”

He smiles, but it’s sad. “Penelope…”

“Stay,” I say again. “We just got started.”

“We’ve been through this already. Twice.”

“I know, I’m sorry!” I hold my palms up to him. “I’m sorry I keep jerking you around. I’ve had a really rough couple of weeks, and I don’t know which way is up. I still don’t know if I can help you by myself—honestly, I wouldn’t bet my thirdborn on it—but just…” I take hold of his denim sleeve. “Stay. Let me try. What have you got to lose?”

Shepard looks down at me. “You know you don’t have to do this by yourself.”

“No, it’s okay. I want to do what I can. I’m not completely useless. In every situation. Usually. I think.”

“No. I mean—Penelope, I’m here, too. We can work on this together.”

Oh …

Right.

I suppose we can.

26

BAZ

Simon didn’t take it well.

“There’s a new Chosen One?”

This was last night. After we went hunting. (I still can’t believe that he came hunting with me. That he watched me drink rat blood and still wanted to kiss me. Repeatedly.) We’d eaten my aunt’s Bourbons, and we were headed back to sleep. My head was resting on his chest. It was bliss.