For all of her flaws, that was one trap Karla had never fallen into. She saw Ender as a mentor, yes, and someone she could go to for questions, but she'd never deified him.

"He is. And so while I never doubt that he loves me, sometimes I wonder if he would love me if I weren't the first." She gave Ender a half smile and a shrug. "On the other hand, I helped shape him, too. I was one of the people who drew him out of his shell. It's all terribly complicated."