She was the type to stare herself in the mirror and see someone else stare back. Someone who was free and light, being able to spread her wings like an unbound angel. She was neither chained to Heaven nor Hell. Howbeit, no matter how far she reached into the mirror, she could never step through as her ball-and-chain presented itself in the form of a crown. She was a princess with two faces, desperately trying to have a sense of freedom outside of her royal obligations. She found it in the form of a weakness: a passion with another human being. Her love for him and ballet had kept her chin high; her crown not slipping from her pastel hair. So why, why did it suddenly become so hard when a gothic gymnastic back-flipped into her life? Why were her heartstrings being tugged on by someone of her same gender? Why was it suddenly so difficult, so strenuous to keep living in her pastel world when this mysterious girl brought such bright colours with her? TRIGGER WARNING: Mentions of sex, suicide and other mature themes will be contained within this book. Read at your own discretion.

❃ AWARD-WINNING PUBLISHED NOVEL ❃ BOOK I OF THE TRANSCENDENCE SERIES ❃ Growing up during the centuries-long conflict between the empires of Egypt and Hatti, the young princess Istara is taken hostage by the King of Hatti to secure the loyalty of her father, the King of Kadesh to the empire. Soon her new life in Hatti's glittering capital becomes all she knows. Bound in blood before the gods to Hatti's unwilling crown prince, Istara, now Hatti's queen-in-waiting, learns she will never be loved. But the drums of war beat again, and when the scheming plans of Hatti's king threaten the existence of all civilization, the gods give Istara a choice: to leave behind everything she knows to save mankind, or remain where she is, powerless, a token on the game board of kings. On the brink of one of the most brutal battles in history, she chooses to risk her life to deliver a message to the only man able to prevent the prophecy from becoming a reality--her mortal enemy, the Pharaoh Ramesses II. Wounded, cold and hungry, she wanders in the battle's horrific aftermath, and aids a powerful commander, who she learns protected her once, and has been bound to her ever since by a prophetic dream of his future. Despite his resistance, and Istara once more becoming a pawn of kings, they must confront an eternal love so powerful, not even kings, the gods, or death can keep them apart. The Lost Valor of Love is the first book in the Transcendence series. Available to buy on Amazon as e-book, audiobook, and paperback. ❃Awards❃ Winner. Adult Fiction. Wishing Shelf Book Awards 2019. Finalist. First Novel & Historical Fiction categories. Indie Author Network's Book of the Year Awards 2019 Third. Wattpad's The Historical Award 2019 Winner. The Writers' Olympics 2018 Winner. The Pursuit of Excellence Awards 2017 Fourth. The Fiction Awards 2018 Ranked #1 Historical Fiction June 10-13, 2017 © E A Carter 2017 All Rights Reserved Cover Design © Deb