After a few hours of driving, Simon notices a car following them. During their time in the faire, they broke several magick laws Penny constantly is convinced that she will be severely punished by her mother, who is now the Headmistress at Watford School of Magicks.

After killing these vampires very publicly, they escape. While there, they kill a handful of vampires reigning terror on innocent people. On their way through the Midwest and towards California, they stop at a renaissance faire in Nebraska. Nonetheless, they continue on their way to California. The group looks to Penny for guidance, so everyone believes it is a bad idea to be in America now that she has no real will to continue on. Penny breaks up with her boyfriend as soon as they arrive in Chicago, which leaves her undecided and without a plan. The group leaves for the United States after their final exams. (It is unknown at this time, but NowNext is also known as NextBlood, a vampire cult.) It is also in an attempt to bring Simon out of his shell, as he has become obviously depressed. Agatha tells them not to since she will be out of town at a NowNext retreat for members and guests. She suggests that they go to the United States for a holiday to visit Agatha, who now lives in California. Wayward Son begins with Penelope wanting a change of scene. There are interludes from new characters as well, including Shepard. The story is narrated by multiple characters, including Simon, Baz, Agatha and Penny.

Wayward Son opens about a year and a half after Simon Snow's final showdown with the humdrum and shows that a lot has changed since he fell from grace as the 'Chosen One'. The novel is the second book in the Simon Snow trilogy, which is a spinoff of the novel Fangirl.

The story is narrated by multiple characters. The group finds themselves in the United States under the guise of visiting their friend, Agatha, in California, but the story takes the characters on a road trip filled with cryptids, self-discovery, and a new friend. It explores their young adult lives and how they navigate them now that Simon destroyed the biggest threat to the World of Mages, the universe's British sect of magic. The story follows Simon Snow and his friends a year and a half after the end of the first book of the trilogy, Carry On. Wayward Son is the fourth young adult novel written by Rainbow Rowell, published in 2019.

Wayward Son by Rainbow Rowell