None of the owners have seen Kaden, and we find no sign of him in the magical hat shop, the potion supply store, or the enchanted bakery, run by a witch who gives us each a bite-sized cream puff that tastes like sunshine. In all of them, tourists and nonmagical residents only occupy half the stores, as if they don’t even realize the second halves are there, filled with magical items they could only dream of.

“Aren’t you worried people will notice?” I ask when a couple completely ignores a set of floating cake stands in the bakery.

Anna shakes her head, her curls wet from the rain and sticking to her face. “A lot of magical people and creatures come to Wick because they’re stronger here, and safer. They want to live peacefully with nonmagical people, and we all work together to keep our powers a secret while still staying in business.”

“But the cakes.” I gesture at the clearly floating tiers. “Are they glamoured?”

“Yup. All the magical shops here are. Those people just see normal cakes.”

“Then why can I see them?” In fact, it hasn’t just been the floating cakes. Everywhere we’ve gone, and at Ravenfall, too, I’ve had no trouble seeing the magical elements.

Anna’s face scrunches up in confusion. “When someone’s really open to magic, and knows to look for it, they can sometimes see through glamours. I guess you really are embracing the weird.”

That should make me happy, but by the time we reach the last building on the lane with a sign that says ANDRADE ANIMAL SHELTER, my hope of finding Kaden has dwindled, and my mood along with it.

The shelter is a small green building with cartoon dogs and cats on the face and a big front window with the shade pulled down.

Anna stops halfway up the ramp with a frown. “The light’s on in the front.”

“So?”

Her hand strays to her rowanberry bracelet. “Only Mr. and Mrs. Andrade work the front, and they’re at Ravenfall. So who’s inside?”

I’m past her and to the door before she can call out, “Colin, wait!”

A bell rings above when I enter, and Max lets out a low growl. My gaze leaps across waiting room chairs and coffee tables piled with magazines to the front counter and the room beyond. If Kaden’s in here, he’d have heard the bell, and—

Something moves behind the counter.

An older man in a crisp black suit with short, curly hair looks up from a stack of papers to smile at us, and I recognize him from the inn.

“Anna! What brings you by?” Mr. Andrade asks.

My disappointment swells, but Anna looks relieved. “Sorry, Mr. Andrade. We thought you were at Ravenfall, so we got concerned by the light.”