Evangelina Sage is the primary caretaker for her younger sister and ailing father. Feeling like a failure for not finding a job at the latest fair, Evie wanders into the nearby forbidden forest, which is the supposed home of the notorious Villain; he is known throughout the kingdom for his despicable deeds. Evie’s knowledge of the man is limited to rumors and hastily drawn wanted posters portraying him to be old and grotesque, but she doesn’t fear him. Instead, she wonders if “he would be less murderous if his moniker wasn’t so ridiculous” (2).

Evie stops at a stream, alarmed to see the water turning red with blood. She follows the blood to find a wounded man, who pulls her down beside him as the king’s soldiers arrive. The man is the Villain, and Evie is surprised to find that he is little older than she is and devastatingly attractive. She lets slip that she is seeking a job, and after she helps him to escape the hunters, the Villain brings her to his manor and offers her a position as his assistant. Evie knows that she shouldn’t take the job because he is evil, but her curiosity mixes with her desperation and makes her accept.