Water covered Clémence's face. Her muffled screams vibrated the glass. Piranhas circled like silver knives.
"Took you long enough," Václav sighed. "Now. Viktor's research. Or I flood the tank with predators."
Élise threw the leather journal at his feet. "Free her!"
Václav flipped pages with his golden fingers. "Ah. Vampire resurrection via mercury-alchemy. Perfect." He kicked a vial of blue liquid toward Élise. "Your antidote. One dose. Cures Catalyst X's fever."
Lucien swayed. Black veins crawled up his neck. "And my bite?"
Václav smiled. "Separate problem. My price for the girl is your servitude, Doctor. Become my test subject. I cure your vampirism… eventually."
Élise stepped forward. "No deal. Give us both cures."
The alchemist laughed. "Greedy witch! Choose one. Lucien takes the antidote, lives human. I keep Clémence or you take it, keep your magic. Lucien becomes my lab rat or Clémence takes it… and lives."
He tapped the tank. "Her lungs are filling. Decide in ten seconds. Nine. Eight…"
Élise looked at Lucien. His eyes pleaded: Save her sister. She looked at Clémence. Her bubbles were fading. The antidote vial burned in her hand.
Three. Two. Élise uncorked the vial. Threw it at the tank.
Glass shattered. Blue liquid mixed with water. Clémence gasped as it hit her lips— —and went limp. Eyes closed.
"Clever girl!" Václav applauded. "But antidote diluted is antidote failed." He pulled the lever. Piranha gates opened.
Lucien moved faster than humanly possible. He grabbed the Journal of Resurrection. Shoved its pages into the tank's filter intake. Gears choked. Jammed. The piranhas stalled.
"You ruined it!" Václav shrieked. His golden hand lunged for Élise's throat—
Lucien intercepted. Václav's fingers pierced his chest instead. Gold punched through ribs. Lucien coughed blood.
Élise screamed. Her magic exploded. ScentMemory: Her mother's perfume. Lilacs and loss. The scent hit Václav. He froze. Tears welled in his eyes. "Anya? You smell like… Anya?"
Élise recoiled. Her mother's name.
Václav touched his golden hand. "I kept her soul in here. After Viktor killed her." He wept. "She was my daughter. Your mother was my daughter."