“If it feels like it’s just the two of you, then it’s a date, no matter who else is around.”

That was two weeks ago. On the phone the day after Nick kissed me in front of the Lodge.

Isaac had just erased two entire weeks from her mind. Everything she’d learned in her classes, every idea she’d generated, every memory of laughter, of joy. Every conversation with her parents or brother. Everything we’d said to each other. Gone.

And he could do more. I know he could. He could take her from me right before my eyes, just like Nick’s mother had been taken from him.

That’s what this is. A show of power. A reminder that no matter how much I know, I don’t know enough to survive in this world. That I’m not worthy.

“Please,” I whimper, the tears running in hot streaks down my face. “Please, stop. Stop it.”

Davis signals Isaac to stop, and Alice and I both sag. He taps his fingers on his desk lightly and lets out a tired sigh. “Normally we’d simply mesmer any inconvenient Onceborns, but since you’ve proven a bit stubborn in that regard, I sent Isaac to collect Ms. Chen for some persuasion. You’ll have to forgive the dramatics. Merlins are quite showy beings, aren’t they?”

“What do you want?” I whisper, because that’s all I need to know.

Davis smiles as if I’d finally asked the right question. “You’ll leave Carolina and the program. Tell the dean you were ill-equipped to keep up with the rigor. A poor fit. I’m sure that won’t be hard for the administrators to believe, coming from you.”

My fingers curl into fists.

“You won’t speak to Nicholas or any of the other chapter members ever again. You’ll apply to another college when the time comes, out of state preferably, and forget you ever found the Legendborn world.”

I glance back up at Alice, who is swaying, eyes fully closed now. Only Isaac’s arms on her shoulder seem to keep her upright. Davis follows my gaze toward Alice.

“And if I don’t?”

“You’re a clever girl, so I’m sure you already know the answer.” He sits back in his chair and drums his fingers on the desk. I’m boring him. Even as he tortures my best friend, and through her, me. “But I suppose it’s best to make things clear. If you don’t comply, Isaac will take you to one of our institutions where his colleagues, the other Masters, will enjoy themselves finding out exactly why your brain won’t accept their illusions—whether it’s in your skull or out. And while you cannot be mesmered, please understand that we will happily find and manage other loved ones in your life who can. Like Ms. Chen here.”