“We don’t know what he is or what he’s capable of,” she replies, releasing my hand to push open the shop door. “My family knows a lot of the magical beings here, which makes me think he’s something that can take another form. Maybe a shapeshifter or a demon. Whatever he is, though, we need to be prepared.”

A flood of rose-scented air hits me, and we enter a greenhouse that’s impossibly large inside compared to the outside. Eight panes of solid glass come to a point for the ceiling, and the shop floor is a mismatched jungle.

An older, brown-skinned teen wearing all black emerges from behind a wall of climbing ivy, a bundle of lavender clasped in her fingers, which are lined with different-colored rings. Thick eyeliner circles her brown eyes, and she wears forest-green lipstick. She glides toward us with an easy grace, ducking down to scratch Max under the chin with nails painted to resemble the night sky. The pinpricks of white stars actually move, arcing across her nails like shooting stars.

“Hey, Anna,” she says with a smile. “Does Rose need more seedlings?”

“Hi, Dilara.” Anna points at a wall to her left where a series of bracelets hang. They’re all made of flowers and berries, some woven together, others tied in intricate knots. “Actually, can we just have two rowanberry bracelets?” she asks.

Dilara peers shrewdly at us. I get the feeling she knows something’s up, but she nods toward the wall. Anna grabs two bracelets made of bright red berries strung together, slipping one onto her wrist and the other onto mine.

“Thank you! Can you put it on Rose’s tab?”

“Is she going to ask me about it when I pick her up for our date tonight?” Dilara asks.

“It’s Rose,” Anna says, already retreating toward the door. “She’ll probably ask you about the emotional implications of what you had for breakfast. Gotta go now, sorry, bye!” She grabs my hand again, dragging me out of the store with Max on our tails.

I inspect the small berries, which are oddly warm against my skin. “What is this supposed to do?”

“Rowanberries ward off evil spirits and protect you from enchantments,” Anna replies. “Since we don’t know what Kaden is, hopefully these’ll help keep us safe while we look for him. I’m betting if he’s still here, he’s somewhere on Willow Street.”

We search the street, checking inside shops, ducking down allies, and peering through fences into backyards. There’s a shop that grants wishes, and another that bottles dreams. My personal favorite is the store filled entirely with different sized and shaped candles that, when lit, help you relive memories.