"I'm in," you tell Yasmine, "but me alone. No Darcy."
"My, my, my." Her tone is approving. "Afraid of the competition?"
"Don't want you to waste your time."
"Excellent." Her teeth are startlingly white and almost pointy. "Isaac will be pleased."
Guess I'm Going to Try to Be a Theta
Present Day
The sidewalk and lamppost fade away, revealing the magic section of the library. You sag against a wall. The pattern isn't gentle about dragging you through your past.
Outside the library, you blink at the bright sun overhead after experiencing that long-ago night. You'd best get back to Dr. Ellison's office.
You barely make it onto the quad when the world stutters around you. Sky and grass give way to a ceiling and floor, open air to a stuffy hallway. The memory pattern is taking hold, not waiting for you to return to the location where the memory took place.
The vision blinks out. With luck, you have a moment before it seizes you again.