Any Way the Wind Blows (Simon Snow, #3)

by Rainbow Rowell

The tattoos are gone. Shepard holds out his arms, and I run my fingertips up the inside of one forearm. They’re gone. “Penelope . . .” he says. “You did it.” I did it. Shepard isn’t going to hell . . . At least not that version of it. “Penelope!” Shepard sounds a little delirious. He picks me up and spins me around. “You did it!” “I mean”—I hold on to his shoulders—“you did help.” “You’re an absolute madwoman! You summoned a demon in your living room. You’re an entire crazy train!” I frown down at him. “I wouldn’t say crazy . . . I had a plan.” “A crazy plan.” He sets me down, still holding me. “What if it hadn’t worked?” “I was pretty sure it was going to work.” “Yeah, but it might not have . . .” I shake his shoulders. “Stop second-guessing me, Shepard! The proof is in the pudding.” “You’re the most dangerous thing I’ve ever seen,” he says, kissing me. “You’re an F5, easily. Maybe an F6.” I let him kiss me. I like it when he kisses me. “We broke the curse . . .” I murmur. “You broke the contract,” he says. “It was never valid.” He pulls away, grinning down at me. “Should I be hurt that you got me out of this by convincing that demon that I was more trouble than I’m worth?” “I merely presented the facts.” He kisses me soundly, then starts laughing, purely from joy, I think. “I’ll never be able to thank you enough for this.” “Don’t thank me yet, Shepard.” “Why not?” “Because I’m probably going to slay your friend Ken.”