The Castrofax Read Online Free Page A

breathed. “How
many Class Eights are left?”
    Magin smirked, then the smirk slipped as she
realized the question was seriously asked. “There are none. And
there are no Class Sevens either. The highest Class attainable for
hundreds of years has been a Class Six, and even those are
dwindling.”
    “Then this truly is fantastic,” Robyn
whispered and looked back outside to the men in their revelry.
“When did the Classes start dying off?”
    “Back in the Third Age after the Mage Wars.
As you rightly stated, the Mages were given permission to
intermarry which began watering-down their long bloodlines. With
every generation they grow a little weaker. First the Class Tens
vanished, soon followed by Class Nines. By the time the more
powerful houses tried to instate new rules to riposte the old laws,
it was too late to rebuild the bloodlines, and finally the Class
Eights vanished. This took over a thousand years mind you; it did
not happen in a generation.” Magin closed the book on her lap with
a pleased look. “If Master Gabriel does prove to be powerful, it
will mean great things for their race.”
    “But his father is only a Class Five. Who is
his mother?”
    Magin gave a shrug. “No one knows. It has
been a secret of the Lenis line since Gabriel’s birth.”
    “But you said yourself the highest Class
attainable now is Class Six, so how could a Class Five produce an
Eight?”
    Magin chuckled. “That is a question for Mage
Cordis, but I have read of Anomalies, Mages born of strange talents
in desperate times. Though, for years there have been rumors of
secluded groups of Mages that never dwindled. Perhaps our Master
Gabriel’s mother truly is powerful.”
    Robyn watched the men retreat to the manor
and heard their faint carousing voices down the hall. She wished
they would come share their excitement, but they faded away and
left her to her studies without escape.
    It was not until the sun touched the tips of
the Gray Mountains that Magin let her go. She walk off in dignified
fashion to find the Mages, wishing she could run but that was
unladylike. Cordis had a favorite study tucked back in a corner
where he usually spent his quiet days, and as she suspected, she
found the men within talking in joyous tones.
    The room was plastered with dark wood panels
and shelves which sat dozens of books and trinkets. Each had a
story she did not know. The furniture was old and lovingly worn,
made of a faint blue canvas matched with yellow cord trim and
leather pillows. It smelled of dust, leather, and cigar smoke with
another scent she could only describe as man .
    Gabriel sat in a chaise with a leg propped up
over it, leaning into the corner with a goblet dangling from his
fingertips. Dagan sat in the bay window in a relaxed fashion, his
back not so straight, his shoulders loosened, and his coat folded
aside leaving him in his shirtsleeves. Cordis sat with his back to
her and turned as she entered. He was beaming and red in the
cheeks, likely a result of the goblet of ale perched on his thigh.
“Roby!” he exclaimed as she stepped in. “Did you see it?”
    Robyn rounded his chair to address him to his
face. “I did,” she nodded. “It was explained to me that it was a
grand achievement.”
    “Grand is an excellent word for it! Come, sit
with me,” he beckoned. He set his goblet aside and lifted her by
the waist to sit on his thighs as he had on several occasions.
Being dawdled like a child was not something princesses did, but
she found herself yearning for the embrace of a father-like figure.
Her own father died nearly eight years beforehand.
    “You witnessed a remarkable thing,” Cordis
beamed. “And it will be beneficial for you in the future. The
stronger a Mage you have to protect you, the better. Within five
years Gabriel will have a proper Class to his name and will be able
to take the title of protector from me.”
    Robyn felt her heart quicken. “Where are you
going?” she asked in a shrill