H. Rider Haggard 
Treasure of the Lake 

In the fourth and final book in the She sequence, the beautiful and immortal Ayesha tells her tale of power, wisdom, love, and deception, in her own words. Arabian by birth, Ayesha’s natural beauty was the cause in her father’s kingdom of many wars and conflicts between jealous princes and suitors, leading to a rumour that she was cursed. Swearing an oath of celibacy, to serve Isis the Goddess of the Spirit of Nature and turn away from Aphrodite the Goddess of Love, she seeks to protect herself, until Greek soldier of fortune Kallikrates comes to her for sanctuary and her resolve weakens. But Kallikrates does not arrive alone-he is pursued by the Pharaoh’s daughter who is wildly jealous of Ayesha’s beauty and vows to destroy her. Only by staying true to Isis does Ayesha survive, and as a reward Isis leads her to the hidden kingdom of Kor in Africa, to herald in a new Golden Age. The kingdom of Kor hides many secrets, including The Flame of Eternal Life where ultimately Ayesha’s vanity, obsession, and desire lead to her downfall.