" She'd meant, 'When you understand that when the Empire commands, I can't say no.' She'd meant, 'When you understand that there's no room for me to mean yes, even if I want to.' She'd meant, 'You don't understand that there's no such thing as being free.' Free to choose, or free otherwise. "

― Arkady Martine , A Desolation Called Peace (Teixcalaan #2)