Assistant to the Villain - Chapter 13: Chapter 12 Summary

Chapter 13 of 61

Chapter 12

Chapter summary

Chapter 12

Evie enters a dim tavern wearing a battered brown cloak and a low‑cut dress, hoping to meet a contact for her work. She spots Rick, her former lover, and a tense conversation erupts. Rick tries to flirt and mock her, recalling their past; Evie rebuffs him sharply, insisting she is waiting for someone else. Their exchange draws the attention of The Villain, her mysterious employer, who enters the room, lowers his hood, and approaches the table. The Villain’s presence instantly intimidates Rick, who freezes.

Evie lunges to cling to The Villain, wrapping an arm around his torso. He questions her with a cold “Sage… Might I ask why you’re clinging to me like a barnacle?” and she stammers, introducing Rick as an ex‑partner. The Villain’s reaction is a chilling, almost choking sound; he studies both Evie and Rick, then orders Rick to leave. As Rick retreats, The Villain’s hand squeezes Rick’s shoulder, warning him never to bother Evie again.

The Villain orders drinks for both of them; his discomfort becomes evident when Evie admits she enjoys “dirty” romance novels, causing him to choke on his drink and sway, wiping his mouth with a yellow handkerchief. He apologizes, acknowledging the honesty of her answer.

Their conversation shifts to the tavern’s hidden proprietor, a clockmaker who also makes bombs. The Villain confirms the owner will arrive shortly, after eight o’clock, and notes that his own people have dealt with him before. He hints at the need for trustworthy allies, glancing at the gold‑ring tattoo on Evie’s finger. He removes his cloak, revealing an off‑white starched shirt, and tells Evie they will use “the ordinary appearance” to their advantage.

When the tavern owner, Malcolm, finally appears—a youthful man with a friendly smile and dimpled chin—The Villain’s expression hardens. Evie calls Malcolm over loudly; Malcolm, startled, greets them jovially before noticing The Villain’s face and reacting with dread, asking “What the fuck are you doing here, brother?” The Villain’s anger is palpable, and he mutters about being angry at himself for trying.

The chapter ends with Malcolm approaching the table, still uneasy, while The Villain remains stoic, and Evie observes the tense dynamic, noting the heightened danger surrounding her and her boss.”

Running summary

Through chapter 13

Summary of the chapters Prologue to Chapter 12.

Evie, desperate for work, wanders into Hickory Forest, discovers a trail of blood, is captured by the mysterious figure known as The Villain, learns he is a handsome young man rather than the feared older brute, evades pursuing Valiant Guards, follows him into his hidden stronghold, Massacre Manor, and reluctantly accepts a position as his personal assistant. Evie starts her first day as the Villain’s personal assistant, navigating a castle filled with severed heads, confronting a corpse on her desk, interacting with the Villain and co‑worker Rebecka Erring, and surviving a clumsy fall that draws the Villain’s attention while learning more about his moral code and the castle’s strange magic. Evie visits the healer Tatianna, trades two personal secrets—including a dirty dream about the boss—for a rapid bone‑healing spell that mends her bruised tailbone; Tatianna also gives Evie a pink vial meant to ease her father's pain. The Villain proposes marrying Evie to a river gremlin to secure safe passage, reveals three recent shipment losses and a traitor within the manor, and deepens the office’s internal politics with Rebecka Erring, pixies, and the involvement of Valiant and Malevolent Guards. Evie spends the late afternoon drinking a cauldron brew, engages in a flirtatious yet tense exchange with the injured dragon trainer Blade, who argues with coworker Becky and mentions the dragon’s growth; the office bell signals the end of the workday, The Villain’s office remains closed and he is absent; Blade departs for the healer with Tatianna while Evie gathers her things and ponders the boss’s whereabouts. Evie spends a quiet dinner with her ailing father, recalling the loss of her mother and brother, revealing her secret habit of stealing sugar for The Villain’s brew, and reaffirming her determination to protect her family despite the lies she tells them. Sage provides Trystan with a detailed employee dossier and suggests more aggressive investigative tactics; Trystan explains his covert strategy for exposing a traitor and reveals the magical employment bargain system involving gold and green ink; Sage offers to personally torture suspects, deepening their uneasy partnership. Evie is led by a frog named Kingsley to the Villain’s office, where she discovers a ticking bomb hidden in his desk; she also interacts with Edwin, a turquoise‑skinned ogre who serves pastries in the kitchen. Evie attempts to jettison the ticking bomb by racing to the parapet, but her heel catches, the device falls close to her, leaving her injured and the timer still counting down. Trystan defeats Valiant Guards with gray‑mist magic, orders his Malevolent Guards to relocate stolen shipments and bury the dead, returns to Massacre Manor where Rebecka reports a bomb in his office, discovers Evie stuck on a parapet with the ticking gold device, attempts a magical rescue, and the bomb detonates, turning the world red. After the office explosion, the Villain rescues a bleeding Evie, treats her ankle, discovers the blast was a bomb placed in his office, threatens staff to locate the perpetrator, and escorts her to healer Tatianna, hinting at a traitor and his intent to investigate. Evie rides a black carriage with The Villain (revealed as Trystan Maverine) back to her family cottage; their dialogue reveals his true name, his indifference to being seen, and his concern over magical‑animal traffickers. At the cottage, Evie introduces her younger sister Lyssa, who meets Trystan and engages in a comedic, slightly awkward exchange about accidents and holidays. Trystan learns about Evie’s family situation and, after a brief farewell, proposes a field mission for the following evening at the Redbloom Tavern to track down the bomb‑maker responsible for the office explosion, indicating that the investigation will move outside the manor. Evie encounters her ex‑boyfriend Rick in a seedy tavern; The Villain arrives, physically intervenes, and rescues her from Rick’s aggression. The Villain introduces himself as her “lover,” reveals a sudden, protective yet unsettling demeanor, and displays discomfort when Evie mentions liking dirty romances. They are introduced to the tavern owner, Malcolm, a young, friendly‑looking clockmaker‑by‑day. This scene establishes The Villain’s personal relationship with Evie, his volatile protectiveness, and adds Malcolm as a new character linked to the tavern’s secret activities.

People and places

Known up to the selected chapter.

Assistant to the Villain Chapter 13 Summary