Free Liquid Diamond by Sebastien Blue

wiping the tears from her face with her shoulder she felt just a bit better. For some reason she trusted Catalyst, which surprised her. Being Russian, trust is something not given easily.
    As they sat there, Natalia and Catalyst heard the water as it began to boil. The Blemmye looked at it and then at Natalia and Catalyst and swallowed the rotted flesh in its mouth, making room for more.
    The Elf came out of the tunnel, threw the Blemmye a dead mouse and slapped its back hard as its reward for not eating Natalia or Catalyst.
    “ See that? Fifteen minutes exactly,” said the Elf, motioning to the boiling pot of water with his head.
    “ It won’t be long now, my pet – a quick two-hour boil with a few potatoes and some radishes and dinner is served! We haven’t eaten this well in quite some time,” said the Elf, wiping away most of the drool from his chin and lips in anticipation of a fresh meal.
    The Blemmye grabbed Catalyst and stood ready to cook him. As soon as they got close enough, Catalyst kicked the boiling pot off its hook and sent it crashing into the Blemmye’s chest, scalding it from shoulder to toe. It ran into the tunnels with a cry so gruesome that even the Elf cringed at the sound.
    Wriggling free of the Elf’s grip, Catalyst grabbed the handle of the pot and smacked the Elf in the head with it, burning off a patch of skin as it fell face first. With one more smack to his head, Catalyst knocked the old Elf out.
    “ Come on, Natalia, let’s get out of here,” said Catalyst as he untied her hands.
    Running out of the Elf’s lair then out of the dead woods, Natalia and Catalyst didn’t stop until they reached the village.
    Standing in the village compound, Catalyst headed straight to the old trader’s hut. He pushed open a cloth that hung in place of a door and could see they were too late. The old trader had packed up all he owned, and left.
    “ Let’s go and get Domnyar up. Maybe he can help us find the old trader,” said Catalyst.
    “ Find him? Why? Let’s just be happy he’s gone,” said Natalia.
    “ Well, I would like to know why he set us up like that. What if it had something to do with the key and not just making a meal out of me and dessert out of you?” replied Catalyst.
    “ Can’t it wait until morning?” asked Natalia, sounding fed up.
    “ I guess it can, but we still need to know why,” replied Catalyst, shaking his head at the empty hut.
    “ Okay,” agreed Natalia.
    They slipped back into Domnyar’s hut, went back to their beds and slept until morning.
    Two hours later, Natalia, Catalyst and Domnyar were up eating breakfast.
    Silently, Natalia and Catalyst sat there, exhausted from the night before.
    “ That was the best sleep I have had in ages. How about the two of you?” Sleep okay? asked Domnyar yawning.
    “ Not really,” replied Natalia and explained what Catalyst had gotten them into and how it was all because of some rope dart thing that Catalyst just had to have.
    “ You poor children. It sounds as though someone is out to get you,” replied Domnyar with sympathy.
    “ That’s what I say. Do you know where we could find that old trader?” asked Catalyst. He pulled the rope dart from the back of his pants hoping they would see why he wanted it so much.
    “ Now why wouldn’t you just tell us about that thing, Catalyst?” asked Natalia.
    “ Because you would have known I needed to go fishing last night and I just thought it was best if I went alone and without an argument,” replied Catalyst.
    “ Even after I caught you?” asked Natalia.
    “ Hmm, to answer your question, Catalyst, no, I don’t,” said Domnyar. “For a Basajaunak to pack up and leave his home like that – it’s almost unheard of. Sure, we travel from time to time but from what you’ve told me he’s just moved on, so there’s no telling where he has gone. But if it makes you two feel any better, I can point you in the direction of Miss Turr,” said Domnyar.
    “ Okay, where do