We burst through the farmhouse door to a peculiar sight.
Martha stands in the middle of her crops, staring up at what looks like a giant living scarecrow.
Instead of straw, the scarecrow is covered with thorns and brambles. Standing at least nine meters tall, the scarecrow has crosses for eyes and a stitched button nose with one line for a mouth. Thick and veiny, the thorns spread out and push towards us when the scarecrow sees us.
Martha screams again and tries to defend us by running forward with her pitchfork but with one hand the scarecrow knocks her away and she falls to the ground.
It's my turn to scream as Martha falls like a bundle of straw to the ground.
Snarling, I call my fire powers and set the ground ablaze around the scarecrow. I blast the scarecrow and fire spreads along their thorns. To my shock, the fire dies once it reaches inside the scarecrow's thorny body.
"You can do better than that," The scarecrow's deep voice irks me.
Abe tries to push me behind him but I'm having none of that. I elbow him and shake my head.
"Who the fuck do you think you are?" I shout.
I'm charging towards the scarecrow, but the scarecrow's long hands extend and wrap around my throat. He lets go with one hand to grab me by the waist and pull me upwards.
I'm on fire, burning with heat and fury. Like a hot potato, the scarecrow throws me to their other hand to avoid catching the flames. Abe is trying his best to get me down with his own plants rising to meet the scarecrow.
For a minute, I struggle against the scarecrow's hold while Abe battles the scarecrow, flying towards the scarecrow's eyes and attempting to pluck the thorns.
The scarecrow stops everything by grabbing us both by the throat. I feel the stinging sensation again like with Nimm' Or's father. Talk about PTSD.
The scarecrow peers down at us as we push against their grip.
"You are deemed worthy of the lost spear." The scarecrow nods and draws his thorny fingers away from our throats, placing us on the ground gently.
"Just like that?" Abe asks.
"I needed to test you first," The scarecrow says.
"I was forged with a fragment of the lost spear of the Underworld. I am the guide and the forewarner of the lost spear," The scarecrow explains.
"What is the lost spear..." I wonder.
The scarecrow speaks once more, "The king of the underworld searches for the lost spear. Find it before he does. You must travel through the volcano of Ar, and the river of Na. Should you lose your way, call on the name of Eve."
"I'm the king of the-" Abe mumbles and I nudge him.
"Who's Eve?" I ask.
"The daughter of the maker," The scarecrow replies surreptitiously.
We want to ask many more questions but the scarecrow suddenly vanishes. As fast as the scarecrow appeared, he disintegrates into particles of dust.
"Huh?"
"Martha!" I'm running to help my cousin who is still sprawled across her crop field. I bend down to move her hair from sticking to her neck because of the sweat.
Martha lifts a hand and says facedown from the ground, "I'm okay! Just gimme a minute."
Though her voice is barely audible, I breathe a sigh of relief.
Once we are settled back in Martha's home with cups of tea, Martha asks us what happened.
"I passed out for a couple of moments there," Martha says.
"Oh no way," I say.
We explain how the scarecrow was some kind of guide and protector of the lost spear.
Martha's eyes widen and she says, "I've heard of that spear! It has the power to make things come to life, unnatural things coming to life...oh maybe the scarecrow was one of those!"
Abe and I share a glance and Abe says, "The scarecrow told us where to go to find the lost spear."
Martha claps her hands and she says, "Great! I have some supplies you can pack with you on your journey."
"Who says we're going?" I say, crossing my arms on my chest.
Abe says, "I think we should go if it helps us get closer to where my brother is."
"But what if it's a trap?" I ask.
"Then we run or fight," Abe says.
"Okay," I'm still processing our conversation with the scarecrow and I don't know which move would be best.
Martha busies herself with packing things for us, and I get up to help her.
"Martha, we can pack the stuff, just tell us where to find it," I tell Martha.
"Oh no no, allow me to help you," Martha insists.
Martha takes me to the back of the farmhouse where we collect necessities like dried food and some tools like a pickaxe and knives.
"I mean, Abe can just fly," I reason with Martha.
"Right and when he gets tired?" Martha replies.
"Oh, right," I say.
Abe leans against the wall watching us converse with a hint of a smile, his lips curled into a slight crescent moon.
Martha goes to arrange the bedding for us before we leave tomorrow.
I pretend to be busy cleaning the cups at the sink. Abe comes behind me, pressing his front to my back and engulfing me with his arms.
I lean into his touch with a sigh and we stand there in an embrace for a few moments.
My breathing deepens and I swallow, the sound almost audible in the quiet of the kitchen area. I turn around to gaze up at Abe, who already has his eyes on me. He reaches down to brush a stray piece of hair from my face. His perfect face and strong shoulders are driving me crazy.
I can't count the times we've been in danger and at risk of dying. But if I had to do it all over again, there's nobody else I would choose but Abe. He's walked with me through the fire, and he will keep walking with me as time passes and as we journey through the volcano and river to the main city and to protect our kingdom.
Reaching up, I cup Abe's jaw in my hands and lean up to give Abe a kiss.
Abe meets me halfway, his lips brushing against mine once, twice. Coasting over my mouth, his gentle graze turns into a small lick across my bottom lip. I gasp, and he takes the chance to slip his tongue into my mouth. His hand comes to hold my face. as he tilts my head to access my lips better.
When we break apart for breath, Abe continues kissing me on the neck. He places butterfly open mouthed kisses on my collarbone down closer to my chest. My core burns as a moan escapes my lips.
"That's it baby," Abe murmurs.
His hands roam over my hips and waist, coming to stop over my breasts.
"Yes, yes!" I say as his lips return to mine.
He smiles, holding a breast in each hand, twisting my pebbled nipples and giving equal attention to each breast. He begins to kiss my chest and I arch my back as he bends me against the kitchen counter.
I jump him. Literally.
I jump and my legs catch around his waist. Abe carries me, never once letting go of my body or lips.
We stumble blindly to the room somehow, where there's some haystacks as a makeshift bed. Abe lays me down and climbs on top of me, hovering over me.