The Lotus Effect (Rise Of The Ardent)

*Cygnus Award Winner for 1st Place Young-Adult/Steampunk*An improbable partnership. An unforgettable love.Lily Emerson, daughter of the Head of Council and Mistress of Science, has lived a privileged life. It's Lily's 18th nameday, the day she is to follow in her mother's footsteps, becoming the next Mistress of Science-the most powerful woman in all of City Prosper. The Architect and designer of Prosper's future.During the night of her Coronation, the corruption of the Council spreads before her . . . opening her eyes to the cruelty that resides in the Council, even within her own parents. Lily realizes now the title of Mistress only comes with superficial power, that to truly save the citizens-she has to fight.Fight in the Barrage-the mechanical gladiatorial tournament in which one chosen pair of volunteers from each Sector fights, armor-clad and as a team, utilizing unique weapon specialties: the Gatling gun, the Cestus, Klaives, Crescent Knives, mechanically engineered beasts-in the hope to win the right to change the Law. A law that has remained unchanged since its creation almost eighty years ago. The tournament that Xander, Engineering Blacksmith and Lily's partner, believes she has no business being in. But Lily's different. And she sets out to prove just that.If you're a fan of adventure, fighting for survival, unlikely female heroines, and romance-then grab your copy today!