The dragon had eaten him and he was dead. A low rumble and the nudge of a claw snapped him out of his confusion. Jaden cracked one eye open and gasped. The dragon really had flown them up out of the water! They soared in the air, the ocean glittering blue beneath them. Jaden didn't know where to look first. He'd never seen the sun, not really. The rays made their way through the thick curtain of water, but he'd never been allowed to go to the surface. All mer could breathe on the surface, but only trained soldiers or the Atlantean University students ever went there. The way the sun shone over the waters reminded him of the sparkle of jadeite, so amazing and familiar, yet so foreign. Jaden wanted to touch it, to see it up close. A thick claw shielded his eyes, blocking his vision. "Don't look at it. Your eyes aren't accustomed to so much light. You'll get used to it in time." In time? What did the dragon mean by that? How long did he intend to keep Jaden prisoner? For the first time since exiting the water, Jaden realized his predicament.
