Beast K@ing  +Elden )b-*ears a let@=.hal l_=*?ightning cu :rs/*+e—?-any livi[(n^ g th@^.i-ng he touc(!he],s bu rns to cind^
ers. Human g,*)ir l %*Vera is t+he.) only one who ;_can endure;,# h!%#is t!ouch. T!$o[$ break the curse, he forces her into ma($r%riag e by hold.$ing her mot:her% -host@-age@.
Vera resents him,.[ $but / glimpses his si#] ;n?cere h:*@eart: he he\]als her, shields he):r, and # crumbles w/?h[en s=he prays
.for h% im bar_\efoot th!ro,^$ugh brambles!(. The c):urse (can be`
 \broken ^+by consumma]]]tion/—but Vera would[ die from the ;)`bac(klash.=( Elden:\#% m*akes an antidot@+
e, but th +$^e villa,\iness Lia swaps it [for po[+;ison.^@
On ^;their weddin*g nigh@@[t, th+`[e curs]e lif`_ ts—but/ Vera col la_@_ pses, never t(?o wake.
El]+(den m/ourns=. her for six years\ at her grave.
B!+ut Vera i^s alive, raising twin c+hildren wi, @(th -*gol,#den be ast# ears in#[ ?=the hum^-)an s,lums. One sn!\ow
_y day, her#, daughter clings to a pass-_ing man's leg—"D+_addy+."
Elden finds his l,ost f^ (a((m)!ily. But V-#$+era*( cannot forgive his deception, and an old enem@y's father ] : .ha[/^s raised a;
 poi-
.-son bow, vowing bloo
;d( re ]*!venge.