Raquel never expected to marry a bear.
To be fair, Prince Edom wasn't
actually
a bear, but it was impossible to see his face through his mess of wild hair. Not that she needed to see his face. In fact, it was probably better that she didn't.
Because she was going to kill him.
It had been seven years since Prince Edom had galloped off with her best friend through the magicked veil, and taken her into his magicked kingdom. Seven long years of resolve, of hard work and training, so that Raquel would be ready for this day: the day she would exact vengeance upon Prince Edom, for all the brides he'd stolen.
For all the brides he'd murdered.
Raquel vowed she would be the last, but she wasn't prepared for what lay on the veil's other side. It was not the lush and magnificent kingdom from the stories of her youth, and, as it turned out, its prince was not what she'd expected either.
No, Prince Edom was not what she'd expected at all.