Chapter 26: Magi Binding

Anna had a lot to learn. One thing was my ability to have sex many, many times in a day. After she helped with the IV, she noticed my tent. There was some blushing involved but then she chose to help relieve me before helping me with the clothes Yvonne and Chloe had bought for me.

The fire had destroyed all of our possessions. Well, the stuff we brought. I had been transported to the hospital devoid of clothing and had nothing to wear. Fortunately we were in Charleston and there was no end to the number of clothing stores from which they could choose stuff for me. Everything fit and Anna even made sure I was tucked in safe and sound before leaving to finish the rest of her shift.

Savannah, Chloe and Yvonne followed me down the hall and took seats just outside of Dr. Holzer's office. I knocked and heard him call out for me to come in.

He was sitting behind his desk looking at x-rays. "Ah, Mr. Setton, come in. Close the door please."

I looked back and the girls, giving them a quick smile and closed them out.

After I took a seat the doctor looked up. "Tell me, do you know why my mark turned amber?"

I explained to him about sharing memories with Michael and that I knew that House Lords and Ladies bound their members to them. A result of which was the changing of the color of the mark of the new member.

He nodded. "Then you know that I am now bound to you." It wasn't a question but a statement of fact.

I heaved a heavy sigh. I had thought that I could only bind someone to me through sex.

He noticed my anxiety and continued, "It's not the same as your girls." He glanced past me to the door. "I saw how they dote on you. I'm not going to show up on your doorstep looking for a night cap." He chuckled at my spooked look. "You're a handsome boy, but I don't go that way."

That was a relief. "I honestly didn't know I could do that, bind another Mind Magi to me."

"Well, you couldn't have known until you tried. I have a friend, another doctor that I went to school with, that was recruited by one of those houses. I'll say this; he had a different outlook on things after that. He's been trying to recruit me ever since. He says there are things that we could achieve - even in our regular practices - that no one could dream of."

"But I thought they were trying to keep themselves secret."

"They are and do. We're not allowed to claim all of the fame for anything, but if we can help in any small way, it would be worth it. I can't say that I haven't given it some serious thought. What I didn't like was how involved he became in this House." Dr. Holzer shook his head as if grieving a loss. "His passion used to be medicine, helping people become well. Now it's like that's just a hobby. He still works at it, still helps others through his practice, but it's secondary to this House of his."

"I don't want to take anyone's life away from them. Even my girls have goals that I want to help them achieve."

The Doctor smiled. "Good. If you can keep that attitude, then things just might work out for you." He sat back in his chair, a small smile on his face. "I'll have to call my friend and let him know that his chances of recruiting me have just hit an all-time low."

I didn't think that was a good idea, and said as much.

The smile vanished. Dr. Holzer looked at me with that same piercing gaze. "Really, why?"

I told him what I had found out from Michael, the run-in at my store in Texas and even the weird paperwork my biological parents had put together to help hide me for my adoption and inheritance. "I really don't think anyone bearing my color will be safe. If the Houses are looking for me to make sure this prophecy is stopped then anyone associated with me might well be in danger too. My girls; Michael, just for helping me; and now you for being bound to me."

For a moment, the doctor sat there watching me. His face was grim, his eyes steady. "If that's true, then we need to find out more about this prophecy."

"Michael said he would continue trying to find out all he can about it."

"Tell me more about this Michael. He sounds like a pretty good guy, but if he's still bound to one of these Houses then he could turn on you even if he has no desire to."

I didn't think of that. He was bound, I knew, to House Isaacs. If Dr. Holzer's friend had changed so much when he joined his House, then what about Michael? He had joined his House before I was born. Was his loyalty tested by looking for me? Did he have to hide his efforts, or did they know he was looking? That scared me more. If he was looking out for me and giving me information to help me of his own volition, but his House was tracking his movements and knew what he knew ... Wouldn't that mean I would have those Dragons breathing down my neck?

"Doctor, I don't think Michael is as loyal to his house as you might think. Honestly, if he was and they knew where to find me, then they should have been here, trying to take me away or approach me in some obscure manner. There would be some indication that they knew I was here. For that matter, it would have been really easy for them to do something last night while I was laid up in bed. It would have looked like I had died from my injuries."