Smother ━━ Killian Jones [Discontinued]

seven; chamber of hearts

Moments later, Sage found herself in a large yet vacant room with the three others. Daniel, the lover that Regina oh so desperately wished to bring back, was lying still in a beautiful glass coffin. Sage and Jeff stood closely next to each other on one end of the coffin while Dr. Victor and Regina went up the front. "It's remarkable." The Doctor stated, lifting his hand away from Daniel's forehead. "It's as if his last breath was drawn just moments ago."

"A preservation spell." Regina pointed out, stepping closer near the open space of the coffin. "Can you bring him back?"

"Perhaps. Let's take a look." Dr. Victor then opened up his leather bag and pulled out small medical instruments. Everyone curiously watched as he held Daniel's cold hand and made a small incision on his palm. He gently squeezed the cut, making the blood topple of the skin.

After the blood stained his index finger and thumb, the Doctor tapped them together, examining the blood. "It's wonderful." The Doctor whispered, now making Sage wonder how he could tell it was wonderful just by feeling and looking at the blood. "His condition is ideal. Apart from being dead, that is."

Regina looked at him with wide eyes. "Just how many times have you done this, Doctor?"

"You didn't tell her?" The Doctor responded, now looking over at the two thieves who remained quiet the entire time. Sage cursed to herself, hoping that this first-time experiment wouldn't make Regina rethink everything. Even though Dr. Victor was apart of Rumple's plan, he was still passionate about his work and told the truth about it.

As Jeff and Sage's throat went raw, Regina snapped her head at them with a widely confused expression. "Tell me? Tell me what?"

"The procedure is experimental. Success is yet to occur. But if certain conditions are met, I'm optimistic." He tried to sound convincing but failed at reassuring the queen.

"Optimistic?"

"Just hear him out." Sage pleaded in irritation, wanting this plan to go swimmingly instead of having bumps in the road.

Regina ignored her. "What kind of Charlatan are you?"

"I am no such thing." Dr. Victor disagreed, looking slightly offended. Like Sage thought before, he was rather protective over his craft. "I was told the last crucial piece of the puzzle exists in this land."

"What else do you need?"

"A heart." He said, now walking in front of the Queen. "It's a fragile organ, and I need a strong one. I've searched the far reaches of my realm for one with the fortitude to stand the shock of my procedure. None have survived. But they say in your land, there are hearts transformed by magic. Hearts made so powerful, they glow."

Telling from the look on Regina's face, Sage knew that the Queen knew exactly what the Doctor was talking about. But her eyes flickered from Daniel to the stone-dead eyes of Victor. "That's why you've come here?"

Victor nodded. "So, tell me - how do you change these hearts? How do you enchant them?"

Jefferson then spoke up, explaining the process. "Those who practice the dark arts do it by ripping the organ out of the living while it still beats."