Julie Wartin, for instance. If I was going to avoid making immediate, devastating enemies of the powerful, old-money Wartin family, I absolutely needed to find a way to stay on her good side or, failing that, ensure I never landed squarely on her bad one.
But Julie Wartin was… difficult.
A woman with unnervingly sharp instincts, a powerful cunning streak, and a natural, intuitive pull toward the darker, more efficient magical path. She was not someone who trusted easily, nor did she ever forgive easily. Dealing with her would be like walking across a battlefield littered with hidden, magical blades.
Still, if I managed the nearly impossible task of winning her over as an ally, the benefits political, magical, and informational would be immeasurable.
…Though I wasn't sure if I could succeed in the first place, or if the risk was worth the reward.
Anyway, I'd cross that bridge when I reached it. For now, I had to focus on the immediate, tangible progress.
