In a world where power is a gift of the gods, betrayal comes at a soul's price. More than anything, young Sentu wants to learn the new letters of Pharaoh Menes' court. No one of his caste in this ancient civilization learns the language of hieroglyphics, and so, born of lowly stock, his acceptance into the Egyptian priesthood must surely be a miracle. He soon learns that not all is as holy as it appears in the privileged world of scribes and priests. Black magics and malice abound in the court of the first pharaoh of ancient Egypt, and Book of the Dead theology is twisted into an avenue for personal gain. The acolytes suffer under the tutelage of Hozat, the High Priest: ritual sacrifices involve more than mere beasts, they involve anyone who stands in Hozat's way to ultimate power. Though Sentu is at first spared much of the darkest of Hozat's secrets, he soon realizes he cannot escape the fate of his ka forever. When Pharaoh invades Nubia and takes hostage that land's powerful sorceress, Sentu's own world crashes around him, and he has to discover whether justice is more important to him than forgiveness. Formed of Clay is historical fantasy that transports the reader into a dark exploration of a world before the pyramids in a time rich with mythology, betrayal, and sacrifice.