Bea+s +t@\ King El! den be((`ars a letha::l l))ightn*ing cu!rse—any livi;$%-ng t@
hing he touch ]*e*
s b\/_urns to cin=der) ;@s. Human gi  r:\^l Vera is the only on\e wh*^o can endur$%e hi ,s touch. To b+!reak *the curse= ?,?`@= he[/ forces her ,int;o marriage b*+y holding /her mother\-` hostage.
V^era res
ents hi m,? but *glimpses his /s%i [ncere heart: !#+h()=e heals her, ?shields her +` , and crumbles when she,/` prays for )him b ^*_arefo?$ot thro`ugh`
br
:a?`mbles. Th!e curse\!** c !an !@/.be br `oke@n by \^consummation—but Vera would d[ie from th-#e / backl%_ash. Elden$@ makes an antidote, b[/ut th
e villai#?ness Lia[  s w=aps/, i;(!t f*
or poiso-_n.
On their we`-/dding night, the curse lifts^[ —bu*t! Vera collapses, +`%never to wake\*.
Elden m$o@ urns her*,* fo*@?r _+six years at her gr),(ave.? But Vera is`_@ alive, ^,$raising?! twin ch%*ildren `@with+%
 gol$@den ,\beas! t+) ears in the `-:human sl\ums. One snowy day, he!!r daughter cli?ngs to a passing man's leg—"Dadd`\[;y."
Elden __finds his lost family. +But V/)e^_r)a canno,##t forgive his d=\eception, and an ol%-d% ene-*+my's fathe\$*r has rais),
ed!, a p/@oison ?=bow,

vo*wing b@ lood` re @venge.