Aery gasped in pain and sadness, nodded, forced herself to her feet. She bit her lip to keep from crying out, stumbled against Celaena, nearly fell again. Tears streamed down her face. She wanted to fall, to curl into a ball, to go to the light and never return. But something made her not. Something filled her mind, and for a second she felt strong. [i]I will not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.[/i]
The darkness tried to push through her mind again; she fought back, shoving, yanking, pushing it away from her. She would not faint again.
"I am Aerienna Silverheart-Galanythius, and I refuse to be broken."