QUOTE : You aren’t useless. You have your mind, you have your determination. You can still probably wield a sword better than half of Cress’s army, I’d bet, depth perception or no. Stay and fight and show her that she didn’t ruin you.”<br /><br />Erik swallows. For a moment, he says nothing, but eventually he nods his head. “I don’t suppose you could heal me, Heron?” he asks, though he sounds like he already knows the answer.<br /><br />“I can’t make you a new eye,” Heron says, his voice pained. “But I can try to help with healing your other one.”<br /><br />“What about you, Artemisia?” Erik asks. “Any illusion you could cast to hide it?”<br /><br />“Nothing permanent. I’m sorry,” she says. “And nothing that would give you back your vision.”<br /><br />“Ah well,” Erik says, his voice still quavering. “I had a few good years of being handsome. It’s more than most get.”<br /><br />It’s an attempt at a joke, but no one laughs.<br /><br />“You’re still handsome,” Heron says quietly.<br /><br />Erik laughs, the sound hard. “I’m monstrous,” he says.<br /><br />“You’re brave,” Heron says, louder this time. “And steadfast. And you fight for your people—for what you know is right no matter what it costs you. You are, without a doubt, the handsomest man I’ve ever seen, and if you try to say otherwise one last time, I will break your nose as well, you vain ass.