Arcturus is just an orphaned stableboy, when he discovers he has the ability to summon demons from another world. As the first commoner to have this skill, he is sent to Vocans Military Academy, where the lost arts of summoning, spellcraft and demonology are taught to the noble children of the Hominum Empire. With no one but his demon Sacharissa to help him, Arcturus must survive the gruelling challenges of the Academy, whilst navigating the political fallout that his discovery set in motion. ************************************************************************************ This is the first part of THE OUTCAST, prequel to THE NOVICE, but you don't need to read them in any particular order. You can buy THE NOVICE now in all good bookstores and online, including Barnes and Noble, Waterstones, Amazon, Kindle, iBooks, Google Play, Kobo and Nook. THE OUTCAST will be available in the same places in May, 2018.

Each baby born beneath the waves is killed--with one exception: the one hundred thousandth is spared. There's one rule shared between the island's tribes: don't touch the water. When Cressa-la breaks this law, her world, and body, changes. Sure, change is normal... but when has growing scales ever been normal? • • • Watty Award Winner 2015: Best Use of Visuals • • • Each baby born beneath the waves is killed--with one exception: the one hundred thousandth is spared. Among the spared, magic chooses a rare few, connecting them to the moon or sea. These are the One-Hundreds, mermaids and humans with the power to save the world-or corrupt it. When Cressa-la breaks the first rule of her tribe and touches the water surrounding her island, everything she knows turns on its head. Talking, sinister dolphins, mind control, and a whole world just under the waves await her on her eigteenth birthday... but she never asked for any of this. All she wanted was to become a Tribe Leader and take care of her village. It's amazing how one screw-up can change everything. A relentless darkness reaches for her, wanting her affections for his own twisted purposes. In opposition stands a fractured light, haunted by a painful past where corruption eroded friendship. Unless Cressa-la can bring the darkness to his knees and fight the war raging inside, the world is doomed. • • • Content warning: This story contains themes of depression and violence.