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Chapter Thirty-Seven: Binding

North woke feeling confined and first assumed it was just the last tendrils of a dream she was having trouble shaking off. She opened her eyes and learned it was no dream. Vines tangled around her, originating from the plants growing on the walls. She started to struggle and managed to roll over enough to see Orin was also in a similar position. The others remained free of the encumbering vines, though an occasional one trailed across the men around her. “Help. What’s happening?”

As one, all their eyes opened simultaneously. She saw confusion and fear on five of the six faces surrounding her, but Orin seemed calm. “What is this, Orin?”

He gave her a lazy grin as he brushed one of the tendrils, which released its hold on him at the tender caress. “It’s the binding, North.”

She frowned. “What’s that?”

“In fae culture, it’s how we recognize and claim our mates. The plants are in tune to us, so they responded to the power flowing between you and me. There’s n