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

by Rainbow Rowell

He combs his hand through my hair, from front to back, then tugs at the crown. I tilt my head back, eyes still closed. “What is it, then?” “It’s not one thing.” He pulls his fingers out of my hair, then combs them through again. “It’s aptitude, right? Some people aren’t good with words, some people aren’t persuasive speakers. Some people can’t think on their feet.” He could be talking about me. Maybe he is. “But it’s also ability,” he goes on. “Can you speak clearly, does your voice carry . . . And then there’s basic capacity. Strength, power. How much magic you can control, how much you can channel. Plus, training, education, practice, drive . . .” “Lucky for you,” I say, opening my eyes just enough to see him. “You’ve got it all.” Baz curls his lip. “Yeah, that’s me. Nobody can shut up about my good luck.” I ease closer. “You are lucky though. You and Penny. You’re like . . .” I reach my hand up his back, under his shirt. His skin is cool. “Aristocrats. Like, kings and queens compared to everyone else.” “What’d that make you, Snow, a god?” “I was a fluke.” Baz sighs, frustrated, and gives my hair a sharp pull.