No human could survive the spell that the other witch had cast against her, she knew that. She knew that spell, even if she had never used it. Which was why when Killian had been hit and fallen into the lake, she knew he was dead.
Of course he was. She had started caring for him, of course he’d die so quickly.
She had destroyed the other witch just as the crew had arrived. Emma hadn’t even been able to cry, feeling numb in a way she hadn’t been since her years at the Summer Palace. She had explained them what had happened and for some reason the crewmen hadn’t seemed desperate. Awkward, maybe, and worried.
“I think he might alive. But the lake is under the control of the mermaids…”
She didn’t even hear the rest, not sure of why they thought he might be alive but not wanting to risk it. She flew down to the lake, hearing the surprised and scared voices of the men above her, who obviously had had no idea of what she was, until then at least. “Killian!” she called, not even bothering to go easy on the mermaids if they were really there: she lifted the water of the lake, all her anger and fear helping to push it up as if she was pulling a blanket from a bed, “Killian!”