PROLOGUE

"Saph, I have to tell you something." Faro looks as though he's about to tell me something, I hope that it is the same thing as me since I told him I might be in love with him to my broder about four seconds ago. I'm in Ingo, about to leave it's been nearly three weeks since my last, eventful trip. Faro puts his arms around my waist and whispers "I think I'm in love with you to, my Artika. Go your brother is about to come in to the Cove." Then I swim away after giving Faro a hug.

ONE WEEK LATER

I whisper "I hear you still Faro," It's about 7am everyone's asleep including Conor, I leave a note saying 'I'm going to go for a quick swim and I'll be back as soon as I can,' though I don't plan to come back for a while. But before that I leave a note to Conor in his book that he's reading he was a bit confused last night when I said that I was going to leave a note in his book if I ever went to Ingo again. Then I take the path to the cove my entrance to Ingo. Since Conor does not come much since he's kind of got a girlfriend, who happens to be my best friend Rainbow. Then I dive into the water.

Before I know it I see Faro smiling at me holding his arms out then I swim and hug him, everything seems so perfect and I feel at home and safe in Faro's arms as though as he's the only thing that's important to me, the only thing in my heart and mind. Then I shout out in pain my legs are burning. Faro's eyes widen when he see's what's happening and he puts his arms around my waist and whispers "I don't think you are going to be going back for a while Saph..."

Then I lost what little grip on reality I had left, and I blanked out. My eyes opened, Elvira was bending over me looking concerned as though I was once again dreaming of like I did when I came back the first time from the deep. Then she smiles and I ask "I thought you were in the North" She loses her smile and quietly replies "Faro asked a dolphin to get me so I could be here when he tells Conor what's happened... I whisper after looking down at my legs or what were my legs. "Elvira, why have I got a tail?" I ask in a rather low scare voice she opens her mouth then Faro swims in and I get up (Don't ask me how I still don't know) then I swim over to him then I hug him. Then I whispers "Faro can you take me to the cove I need to see if Conor got my note." Faro nods takes my hand and then we swim of towards the cove.

When we got there Faro said I'll get your brother then he calls for Conor. When Conor comes I hide behind one of the large rocks that can hide me now I have a tail. Then I heard Conor realise that I wasn't there. He shouted at Faro "Where is my sister!?" Faro just says very quietly "Saphy is my Artika, she's hiding behind one of those rocks. I'm going to leave her to tell you now; I must make sure that my cousin is alright."

I the swim out from the rocks behind Conor he does not see me until the last second then when he does I grab his arm and pull him up to the surface where the cove is. Conor is holding my hand as though he's trying to see if this is all real. I think he's crying but I can't see his face properly. I can feel my pulse in my palm its calm but Conor is anything but calm, I can feel it all. I can't get into his mind the way I can with Faro but I can somehow see his emotions. He's angry at me, since I'm deserting him the way Dad did. I wave of regret washes through me I remind myself that I'm not like Dad at least I'm saying goodbye.

"Broder," I whisper, "Con, I'm sorry…"

"Be quiet, Saph," he says but his voice isn't angry, it's soft and lonely, lonely before I'm even gone, "I'm not your Artika. That's Faro he's your destined one, your one and only. You're not sorry at all.

I know I'm not sorry that I'm leaving. I'm only sorry that Conor isn't coming. Though I know that's how it is.

"You're my brother, Con, you are," I plead with him, "You'll always know that."

"Brother's are in the Air, Broder's and Artika's are in Ingo," he says, "And you chose Faro," he stays silent looking at me, right at me. Why is it that I'm strong while he's weak? It's not right. He should be angry.

"You can't stay Con, you can't leave Mum, Rodger, and Rainbow and…" I can't say her name, I can't. He replies rather angrily "I know that Saph! I'm not stupid! I don't belong in Ingo anyway, I never did."

"It's your air in you," I tell him,

"I wish I'd never met her," he says suddenly, looking out across the cove into the sea.

When I give him my question look, he says "Elvira"

"But, Con you and Elvira, I mean…" I can't put it into words. The thing I've always hated Elvira for, the thing we're both losing now.

"Elvira is the reason, the reason you ever found Ingo. She's now nothing to me." I reply with a bit of anger in my voice "It's not her fault, Con, I'd have found Ingo, you know that," I can't believe myself I'm defending Elvira.

"Con," I say so quietly I can't tell whether he can hear me or not, "Con could I show them? just once. Just so they know…"

He doesn't react. I think he didn't hear me. I can't say it again. We've always vowed to keep Ingo secret from Mum; it would scare her. But she's different now I think; she even goes out on the boat with Rodger.

I can't read Conor's expression, already there's a gulf between us wider than the distance we're standing, wider than me being in the waves and him being on the sand.

"Do you think Ingo would let them...? His voice trails off, worried.

"Con," I say slowly, "Ingo's my home. I belong here now. I can invite who I want…"

"Just once…" he murmurs, "but you have to wait here Saph, if I go and get them. You can't go to Faro, go back to Ingo and…El..."

"I won't," I say and lick the taste of salt off one fingertip. It sends a wave of excitement down my spine. Salt, Ingo, home. Conor notices this.

"Swear?" I can see how frightened he is.

"Swear and promise." Perhaps it's the last swear and promise I'll ever do. My eyes sting suddenly. Conor takes a look at me then he's running, running away from the cove, away from Ingo.

I wait. The sea is tempting but I won't break this promise. Faro is close. I can feel him; I know he will help me with what I've got to do.

It feels like hours.
And suddenly they're there.

Mum.

Rainbow

Roger.

Sadie!

Then I have a sharp pain in my lungs as though there are knives stabbing themselves in my chest I can't bear it. I will die. I'm drowning in Air. Conor and Rainbow run to me."Sapphy! Sapphy!" I hear them shout.

Then I put my hand in the water trying desperately to get back to in to the sea. Then Faro's warm hand grips mine, and pulls me under the water then suddenly I can breathe again. I slide upwards into the air. They come right up to the waves but Sadie won't come closer she stays next to Mum.

"I'll stay with Sadie," says Mum. She's not looking at me. She's scared. I nod, just slightly. The invitation wasn't for her. It's a last penance for what I've done. It has to be Roger. Then Conor and Rainbow are holding hands as they walk into the water, Roger follows cautiously his shorts already waterlogged. I can't see that Ingo is allowing me to do this.

"Do you remember, Rodger, when you saw me in the sea, when you saw me so deep?" "Rainbow, you have always suspected the way I was, was something to do with the sea, didn't you?" I smile at the end she smiles back her normal calm self."

"Sapphire," Roger and Rainbow both breathe as they see my tail where my legs were once, I am happy Faro is here. He lets go of my wrist and takes Conor's. I grip Roger's and Rainbow's hands; Rogers feels like Dad's did, so long ago. It makes my stomach feel knotted up.

"Dive," I shout and my voice sounds surreal. We dive. Into Ingo. Roger's face is filled with pain, with the agony of entering Ingo."It will be OK," I tell him, "Just forget the Air." Then I remember that this is the last time I will ever dive with Rainbow again.

The next few minutes pass painfully slowly and then I feel Roger's grip on me loosen. His face clears again. We ride a current; catch a glimpse of the catfish. I say, "This is real diving Roger, we've got to save it Roger, the sea since once it's gone it can't come back."

He nods, breathless. It's over too fast, we swim to the cove. I hug Conor underwater.

"Is this it?" he says, and looks right into my eyes, and things have changed. Conor is strong again and I am weak, "Is this goodbye?"

I don't need to reply because Faro has taken my hand and I feel a warm thrill run up my arm to my heart. I squeeze his fingers and turn my face to his. Conor sees all this, and he looks sad, sad but accepting.

"Look after her," he says to Faro I start to feel like it's not true, tears from the corners of my eyes; they mingle with the sea, part of it as I am now. Faro is holding onto me now, his arms wrapped around my waist. My heart is pounding in my chest as though threatening to escape the walls I built around it long ago, the sadness and loss I am feeling as I look into Conor's eyes and partly because I can't believe that I am here, in Ingo, with Faro, my Artika.

"I will," says Faro and he lets go of me with one arm to shake Conor's hand like I taught him how to do so long ago, my heart feels like its being squeezed into a tiny ball but then when I can hardly bear it any longer Faro kisses me I saw Conor look a bit like the protective older brother he was when I was little... Then Conor and Roger are swimming away, while I'm crying in Faro's arms. But Rainbow stares for a second and I say to her "Look after Sadie and Conor" she nods as Faro puts his arms around me and we swim off back towards Ingo, Ingo now my home.

When we got back to Faro's house or cave I was half over my tears. Elvira came out of another section and saw me and said to us both "All of Ingo is full happiness since there are Artika's once more."

Artika – Word I made up it's like the mer word for Soul Mate (If you've read the night world series you will know what I mean.)

I realy recomend the Night world series it's by l.J. Smith

Enjoy it this is my first fanfic I hope you like it!

Please review I wanna know how I did