Read Online The Crossing of Ingo by Helen Dunmore - Free Book Online Page A

will try to turn the Mer against us so that we are not chosen to make the Crossing. They fear what will happen if we succeed. They don’t want peace: they want war, and victory.”
    “What time? When shall we come?”
    “Be here when the moon rises. I will come for you. You will know when the time is right, because the Call will grow so strong in you that you hear nothing else. This is what I have been told by those who have made the Crossing. I will be here for you.”
    “But you’re badly hurt, Faro!” I stare through the water and see a cloud of blood around Faro’s tail. “Will you be strong enough?”
    “Strong enough!” says Faro, looking at me as if I am Mortarow trying to stop him. Then his face softens. “Are you wearing our bracelet, little sister?”
    “Of course.” I lift my arm to show him. “Faro, what kind of weapons have they got – Ervys and his followers?”
    “They have taken up spears fashioned from the wood they find in drowned ships, and from sharpened stones and coral.”
    I look anxiously at Faro’s tail. I know that people often get blood poisoning from coral wounds. “Was Mortarow’s spear tipped with coral, Faro?”
    Faro turns aside and spits into the water. “Mortarow has taken human metal to tip his spear. He has been rummaging deep in the belly of a wreck and has found human weapons.” He spits again. “And our sea bull says that he is upholding the pure traditions of the Mer.” He’s very pale. Anger gives him energy, but he needs Elvira’s help, and quickly.
    “Go, Faro, you’ve got to hurry. Are you strong enough? Shall we come with you to find Elvira?”
    Faro shakes his head. “In two nights I shall be here for you.” He turns. There are no dazzling somersaults this time, or glittering plunges into deep water. Faro dips his head beneath the surface and swims down, down into Ingo until he is lost to sight.
    “We shouldn’t have let him go, Conor. That wound was deep.”
    “He’ll be all right, once he gets to Elvira.” Conor turns and wades back to shore. I catch up with him. “Only two nights to wait,” he says.
    “Yes.”
    Conor glances at me, his face sombre and thoughtful. “Aren’t you afraid, Saph?” he asks.
    “Of Mortarow, you mean? But Saldowr wouldn’t let him hurt us … would he?”
    “Mortarow has just struck at Faro, Saph. He knows that’s the same as striking at Saldowr himself. They’ve lost their fear of what Saldowr can do to them. Listen Saph. Do you really still want to make the Crossing?”
    I stop dead in the shallow water, grabbing Conor’s arm to make him stop too. “How can you say that?”
    “I’m not even sure that I should let you go.”
    “Let me go!
Conor, you’re my brother but you’re not my keeper. Don’t you understand? I’ve got no choice. I’ve got to go.”
    Conor sighs. “I keep thinking what Mum would say if she knew.”
    “You can’t think like that.”
    “You’re my sister, Saph. My real sister.”
    I know this is a dig at Faro. Conor doesn’t like it when Faro calls me
little sister.
“I know,” I say, “but I still have to go. And so do you, don’t you? You heard the Call.” Conor nods. “Ingo needs us,” I go on.
    “You don’t have to tell me that, Saph. I’ve seen what Ervys can do. We’ve got to stop him. I just wish I could go alone. Being afraid for another person is much worse than being afraid for yourself.”
    I shiver. “I’m so cold, Conor. Let’s get home quick.”
    As we climb up the rocks I look back. The cove is filling. The tide’s coming in. A wild tide, full of anger. Next time we come here the moon will be rising. We’ll walk into the water and our journey will begin.

    Rainbow is at the cottage. She has tethered Kylie Newton’s pony Treacle to the gatepost and he is munching placidly at a clump of grass. I glance up at the roof. The gulls attacked Sadie; they might go for Treacle too. Every hour of the day they are therenow, watching. Sometimes they