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“Owein,” I said.
He stood. “I’d ask what you’re doing here, but it’s clear you had to see me. Missed me too much, didn’t you?”
My heart lub-dubbed strangely in my chest. “Owein!”
“Yeah. It’s me.”
“What are you doing here?”
“I’m trapping,” he said. “I told you I go all over the place. I’ve been working my way in this direction since I left Tarren. I make the journey every winter. I was going to head back and work my way south again.”
“You’re unbelievable.”
“I assure you it’s believable.”
“No,” I said. “I didn’t expect to run into you. I was turning north.”
“Now why would you do that? There’s nothing of worth up north. Just the plains. They’re dull, flat, and lifeless. Except for the prairie critters crawling all over the place. Can’t really make anything out of their furs.”
I laughed.
“I’m in a sorry state,” he said. “You caught me all wild man. I’m afraid I’m beneath Gorlassar’s standards.”
I scrutinized Owein until his brow crinkled with worry.
I laughed again. “I don’t care!” I threw my arms around his neck.
“You really missed me.” He dropped any hesitation and folded his arms around me. “Why are you here by yourself? Where’s Seren?”
I cracked. I tucked my face against Owein’s smelly fur coat and cried. “You don’t know how dreadful my winter’s been.”
“Oh, now. At least you found me. Come on. Let’s make ourselves a fox stew. I swear, once you taste my cooking, you’ll be sorry you never did before.”
I sniffled. “I should tell you—I’ve come to warn you.”
“Is that right?”
“Apparently an emrys woman can snare the hearts of every man she lays eyes on. I’m dangerous.”
“You know it’s too late for me. Niawen, I’m not letting you go. I’ve regretted walking away from you all winter. You’re like a bad prune.”
“That’s a ghastly image.”
Owein grimaced. “I’ve never been good with metaphors.”
After Owein wrapped his fox meat and bundled his fur, we headed to his camp.
“I should tell you a few things first, Owein. I’m not sure what you’ll think of me then.”
He stopped dead in his tracks and turned to me. “Nothing, and I mean nothing, will chase me off. I’m going to show you the simple things of this world. And that’s all there is to it, Niawen.”
I smiled. I couldn’t have been happier to run into the most mundane mortal of them all. One who was straightforward and kind. One who asked nothing of me and was willing to give me up so I could have the best of this life—even if the best had failed me and I wasn’t meant for it.
But I didn’t want the best. I wanted the mundane.
I wanted Owein and his humor and his twinkling eyes.
“Show me your world, Owein. I’m ready.”
