I'm the last person a secret government agency wants to call for help.

I spend my days selling New Age trinkets to humans and my nights drinking with a street-hustling alchemist. Not exactly the law and order type. But when monsters from our childhood nightmares become flesh and blood, snatching people from the streets, I'm one of the few wizards alive who can uncover who's behind it.

My past threatens to catch up with me, and I'm not sure I can outrun it.

After losing my family in a fire and being whisked away by my caretaker to train at the Akashic Academy, my life was further turned upside down when I emerged from my final test to find three dead master wizards. Despite being cleared of all charges, most in my community believe I killed them.

They call me the Wayward Wizard.

I may be a black sheep among magic-users, but I deliver results. Which is why this secret agency has dragged me out of bed, slapped the bottle of whiskey out of my hand, and placed me with Alanna Reid. She's their best (and most uptight) agent who's been ordered to keep an eye on me and make sure I get the job done?or, put a bullet in me.

But as good as Alanna is, even she may not be prepared for what's coming. And if I can't shut down the mysterious wizard wielding stolen powers, then I have a demigod looking over my shoulder, salivating at the thought of bringing on the Apocalypse as punishment.

It's like the teacher penalizing the entire class for one asshat's actions, but on a cosmic level.

Since I like living, the choice is clear.

But something tells me that in unraveling the truth, I'll also have to face my own monsters, which can be just as deadly.