Born of fairy-tale legends, Rayne Underwood and her classmates brave the Black Woods to face magic, monsters, and a conspiracy that could threaten the Old World itself.The fiercely independent daughter of the legendary Sleeping Beauty, Rayne has grown up in the shadow of her parents' epic tales. But not all stories end with happily ever after. Determined to uncover the hidden truths buried in her family's past, Rayne and her two best friends venture deep into the forbidden Black Woods-a place steeped in danger, mystery, and ancient magic.What begins as a simple school project soon unravels into a web of dark secrets and misunderstood outcasts with stories of their own. Along the way, Rayne encounters the Wicked Witch, the Waiting Wood, and the undead of the Ever After Cemetery-only to uncover a chilling conspiracy that links her father to Prince Charming and a mysterious assassin known only as the Boot.As fragmented truths come to light, Rayne must decide who she can trust-and what she is willing to risk to uncover the truth.The first book in the trilogy, this novel is filled with misunderstood monsters, adventure, friendship, school bullies, enemies-turned-friends, family ties, and magic-a celebration of courage and curiosity for the young fairy-tale lover in us all.