“It is almost impossible for a queen to tell what comes from deference, and what from the heart.” Those eyes sought hers. “Tell me the truth of it, Ead. Was it your own choice to lie with me last night, or did you feel compelled because of my rank?” Her hair was a tangle about her shoulders. Ead softened. “Fool,” she said. “I would not be compelled by you or anyone. Have I not always given you truth?” Sabran smiled at that. “Too much of it,” she said. “You are the only one who does.”
