Amarille skids slightly as she comes to a stop in the gatehouse again. She places her hands on her knees and intentionally calms her breathing. She observes a drop of moisture that slips off the point of her ear as it falls to the stone floor; the frost in her hair must have started to melt. She clenches her fingers in the fabric covering her knees and then stands upright. She knows that if she looked to her left shoulder she would see YueLiang. Instead, she looks at those around her.
They look hurt. Some of them look worried, some of them look frightened. She locks eyes with Helaena for a moment and then with Keth. She has some choices to make. She can see death looming large for her on this day and she can choose how to meet it. She turns her attention inwards and prays to Selune for strength, fortitude, and clarity.