I'm unfamiliar with this author, and I was really surprised at the depth she put into this short story. Right from the beginning, I could see how well-put together this story is, lots of descriptive detail, dynamic character and easy dialogue. I love short stories, and it's not that easy to take short fiction and pack it with substance and intrigue. This story is short but layered; there's some darkness to it, some magic and fantasy, and some seduction and scheming.