I don't have a problem with bad endings... as long as I know in advance that some good comes out of it. In this case, knowing that Aelliana doesn't quite die serves just as well.

The thing that pushed it from "yes: to "hell yes" for me is that I WANT to read more about Aelliana. She isn't my favorite character, but I really like her and she's the only one that I can think of for whom we don't see the person they grow into. Scouts progress has her growing out of who she isn't, and then ends. WANT MOAR, as the saying goes :)