The Princess and the Peacock. Birds of Fae, #1

From award-winning, genre-hopping author C. S. Johnson comes an original fairy tale that's sure to enchant you ... The first time I fell in love with Princess Mele was when I saw her smile, and I fell in love with her the second time the moment I heard her sing. Two memories burn within Kaipo's heart -- the death of his mother, which left him alone to die, and the arrival of Princess Mele, which gave him a new reason to live. Together with his adopted brother, Kaipo seeks out Jaya, the Fae Queen who lives on the Forbidden Mountain, in order to gain the beauty he requires to win Mele's heart. But Jaya has other plans for the scarred outcast who climbs up her mountain ... The Princess and the Peacock is the first in Birds of Fae, a fantasy fairy tale novella series from C.
S. Johnson featuring original, standalone fairy tales. FROM THE BOOK:  "Hey, Kaipo, we are almost at the top!" Rahj lets out a cheer as he appears beside me again. He daringly loosens his grip before twisting around to see the sights behind us. "Can you believe the view from up here? No wonder Jaya chose to live here."I carefully look down at the view below. I can see our whole side of Maluhia as I glance around us.
The skies are clear, shining in a way that seems both too light and too blue; the clouds just above the Forbidden Mountain are fluffy and starkly white, as if they know they are used in service to a higher power. The seas that surround Maluhia are a mix of blue and green, the sun and sky eagerly battling for the right to blend their beauty. I can see the coral reef that bends around the beach that leads to the other side of the mountain, where the kingdom's rich merchants, warriors, and royal family live in the capital city of Shanthi."You're right, " I say to Rahj, who somehow smiles even more brightly.
"This is incredible.""This is how the God of all creation must see the world, " Rahj says, his voice full of awe. "From up here, it only looks beautiful. There is no way to see the full ugliness the world carries."I frown at him, surprised by the remark. There was nothing in his tone to suggest a sullen feeling, but the words were enough to make me wonder."I am happy to share this with you, Kaipo." Despite the danger, Rahj reaches out and I clasp his hand in mine.
I might have hated Rahj before, but since my scars had branded me as both an outcast and an orphan, he had remained by my side. With Appa gone, and my mother dead and burned, there is no one else. So I smile at him. "Thank you, brother, " I reply, and this time, Rahj does not smile. Instead, I can see the solemn gratitude and pride in his gaze as he nods. His sudden and uncharacteristic seriousness is the last thing I see before the rock under his anchored hand crumbles, and he cries out my name as he falls."Kaipo!"  WHAT READERS ARE SAYING:  "From the characters to the priceless message of true beauty, this was an engaging and creative tale that pulled me in.
I very eagerly look forward to reading more in this series!" ~ Laura A. Grace, Unicorn Quester"Beautiful and satisfying read!" ~ Maurice, Book Reviewer