Free Trusted by Jacquelyn Frank Page A

said with a kindly twinkle in her eyes. Isobol knew her well enough to know how something like this would disturb her, but clearly her friend could not resist the opportunity to tease her.
    “Isobol, I am serious! What am I to do? If he is intent on making me his mistress, there is nothing I can do to stop him.”
    “He said to you you have all the power, and it seems to me that you do. He left when he promised, did he not?”
    “But only after securing a kiss from me in the future. He can claim it at any time!”
    “Would that truly be so bad?” Isobol asked her. “He is a handsome, virile man. I could think of worse men to kiss.”
    “It will start at one kiss and before you know it…I will be in bed with him.”
    “Perhaps. Perhaps not. It seems to me that you can only end up in bed with him if you want to. The question becomes, do you want to?”
    “No!”
    “You say that now, but you haven’t given him a chance.”
    “I don’t need to give him a chance! I only want to give myself to my husband!”
    “Aren’t you the least bit curious?” Isobol asked, her warm brown eyes knowing. Isobol was not a great beauty, but she was beautiful in Sarea’s eyes. With her mink brown hair and matching eyes and flawless brown skin, she was extraordinary as far as Sarea was concerned.
    And Isobel was just as sharp of wit as Sarea was. Actually, she was being far too canny in that moment for Sarea’s comfort. But she didn’t want to lie to her best friend, or herself. Only if she were honest could she put herself on guard.
    “Of course I’m curious. But the world is full of such curiosities. If I chased down every one of them my reputation would already be in tatters.”
    “But this is not just any curiosity. This is the king. Did it ever occur to you that his intentions might be honorable?”
    Sarea gasped out a laugh. “What? Make me queen? I’ve neither the breeding nor power to make that a sensible match on his end. My father is a minor lord from the southlands. He would do better to marry Lord Tyron’s daughter. Lord knows Gersa has been trying for yana.”
    “She’s the one woman he wouldn’t touch with a long pole!” The women giggled. “Can you imagine Lord Tyron’s fury if the king were to sully his daughter without a proper marriage?”
    “I wouldn’t want to marry her either,” Sarea whispered as they glanced across the room to where Gersa sat with a small flock of women around her. “She’s so pinched faced and spoiled. She’ll ruin a woman’s reputation in a heartbeat by spreading lies about her as if they were fact. And she has the influence to see the lies stick like truth.”
    “We are definitely going to need to keep our eyes on that one if we are going to spend any time in the company of the king,” Isobol said.
    “You see? I have no patience for such intrigues! I have better things I could be doing with my time!” Sarea said.
    “Such as catching dashu fever?” Isobol said. “Your mother told us how the king came to your rescue!”
    “I did not need to be rescued! Although, I am glad for the sake of Lalo and the other farmers that the medics are there to care for them.”
    “See? Something good has come of this relationship already. Perhaps you can see that other good things happen as well.”
    “Well…we were talking about schooling for women…” She scoffed. “But my arguments with him over the subject couldn’t possibly lead to him suddenly deciding to provide schools for everyone who wants to go to them.”
    “Couldn’t they?” Isobol said in a knowing tone. “I guess we shall see. But think on it. Think of things you feel strongly about and see if he is of a mind to do anything to help. He is a king, after all. He could potentially erase all the troubles from the world.”
    “If that were true I think he would have solved all of the problems by now.”
    “Well, one thing at a time, right?”
    “I suppose.”
    “Come on. It’s time to eat.”
    They sat at