Max leads us from the small grove and onto the sidewalk, Anna stepping merrily on the crunching leaves as we go. Several people do a double take when they see him walking with us, and he makes a point of doing something strange any time someone stares too long, like rearing back to walk on his hind paws. But just as many don’t seem bothered by the cat at all, and I have a feeling they’re the local magical folk.

Downtown Wick is more forest than town. Brightly colored cottages poke out from behind thick tree trunks and between blankets of red and gold leaves, and hardly any of the buildings rise above the canopy. There are few cars, mostly people walking bundled up in knit sweaters and woolen caps against the thickening mist. The whole place smells of earth after a rain.

Petrichor, I think.

I like it. For a moment, I dip into my old daydream, imagining my family and myself making a life here alongside the brightly colored buildings and the sound of the wind in the trees. Mom and Dad would love looking at all the little cottages, and Liam would take me exploring in the woods. Then I remember my parents are gone, and it snatches my breath away.

I’ve been trying not to think about them, just like I’ve been trying not to think about the fact that Liam hasn’t arrived, but one of the men he was after is here now. Did they split up? Is Liam here tracking him, too, or did he go after the other one?

What if something happened to him and he never comes back?

He will, I tell myself. He promised. And when he gets here, I’ll have answers for him.

A misty rain follows us the rest of the way to the main street, where Anna points to a row of round, pumpkin-shaped houses next door. “Those are the witches’ cottages,” she says. “The locals go to them for spells, and all of Willow Street is spelled for good luck. It’s where most of the magical shops are.”

I hope some of that luck rubs off on me as I scan the area, looking for anyone who resembles Kaden.

“And that shop sells magical hats,” Anna continues, pointing at a dark green building covered in ivy. “Max gets a lot of the house’s hats from there. Which reminds me—don’t put any of the house’s hats on.”

Max nods his agreement.

I hear her, but I don’t hear her, until she grabs my hand and tugs me toward a purple and white shop front with the name spelled out in real black flowers—THE WICKED ORCHID.

“What—Anna! We have to find Kaden.”