The Rexton Siblings

Anteros and Sabine Rexton, the children of the villain in the Celestial Destiny Series, made selfish choices that put an innocent life at risk in A Sparrow Among Stars. Though their father has put them both in their place, there is no end to Antoine's cruelty, especially when it comes to his daughter. The following snippet is a few chapters into A Fox Among Flames when Sabine goes to her brother in desperate need of help with a new problem. Hope you enjoy!

Sabine rapped her knuckles against her brother’s door twice. After a moment, she tried the doorknob and found it was unlocked, as usual. She shuffled inside and closed the door behind her, saying, “Anteros, I need your help.”

“What do you want, Sabine? I’m busy right now,” Anteros huffed.

She turned, her forehead wrinkled in irritation, and realized her brother was, in fact, not alone. “Of course you are,” she said, marching over to his private collection of alcohol. “I’m afraid that will have to wait.” Sabine uncorked a bottle and filled one of the glasses to the brim.

The brunette in Anteros’s bed scoffed. Sabine turned back toward the bed, relieved their clothes were still on. Mostly. Her brother’s guest looked at her quizzically for a moment before shrugging. “Only one of us was invited in,” the young lady said before pressing her lips to Anteros’s neck. Sabine grimaced.

Her brother’s eyes darkened as he glared at her. He was clearly in a foul mood. Sabine started chugging from her glass. When she lowered it, nearly empty, she found Anteros had turned back toward his lady friend and drawn her back. “We’ll have to pick this up tomorrow,” he said to the young woman. She fumed, of course, stumbling off the bed and cursing them both as she scooped her heels off the floor. She slammed the door closed on her way out.

“My day was finally getting better—not that you care,” he seethed.

Sabine chuckled. “Honestly, brother. You can do far better than her.”

Anteros growled, dismounting from his crumpled bed. He stalked toward her; the darkness in his gaze reminded her of their father. That look in his eyes sent a chill down her spine. She shuffled backward, bumping into the table. The glass bottles clinked together as the table teetered on its legs. Her brother’s arms shot out to grab both sides, quickly stabilizing it. “Why are you here, Sabine? It’s late.”

“I know,” she murmured, wringing her hands. For a moment, she questioned why she had thought he would help her. He hadn’t been the same since the incident in the courtyard with Talitha. Neither of them had. But then she remembered the way the earl dared invade her personal space after dinner. “It’s about the earl.”

Her brother scoffed, shaking his head. He didn’t meet her gaze. She knew he felt pity. He didn’t have to look her in the eyes for her to see it. “Let me guess… You don’t like him?” Anteros asked, sarcasm dripping from his words.

She recoiled at his disdain. “It’s more than that,” the princess argued, crossing her arms. The motion did nothing to make her feel better. She watched as Anteros picked up one of the bottles and started pouring his own drink. His hand was a little unsteady. He must have already indulged in a few glasses before she arrived. That was typical for him these days. She placed her glass beside his quietly, and he moved to fill hers. The princess cleared her throat and asked, “Did you not notice that he left the table shortly after I did?”

Anteros jerked his hand. The red wine sloshed all over the tabletop, missing her glass entirely. “I did,” he said hesitantly. Placing the bottle back on the stand, he leaned over his collection. He braced one hand on the wall, his jaw ticking. “Did he go looking for you?”

When she didn’t answer, her brother turned his head slightly to the side. His hazel eyes softened, the green and gold flecks glistening like stars. Those flecks were filled with dread, a desperate plea for her to say no. Sabine nodded feebly, her own eyes taking on the appearance of rippling water. Anteros pushed off the wall and scooped his sister into his arms as she burst into tears. She pressed a cheek against his bare chest and listened to the hammering of his heart. He ran his hand over the back of her head and shushed her gently. The gesture was soothing, though foreign. The only person who normally hugged her was their mother. Perhaps she should have gone to speak with her instead.

“Did he touch you?” Anteros finally dared to ask. When Sabine looked up, her eyes wide with fear, he grabbed her by the cheeks. “I will kill him if he laid a hand on you.”

“You can’t,” she whispered...

Artwork by @foxlore_arts on Instagram.