One hour before arriving at the meeting with Atlas Blakely and the other recruits, Parisa Kamali sat alone at a bar in her favorite black dress, scanning the room's occupants with her telepathic abilities. She assessed the men at a business meeting, a wealthy woman on the verge of tears, and a bartender—all of whom she dismissed as beneath her standards. Parisa only entertained involvement with people who could bring money, power, or magic into her life.

She noticed Atlas Blakely at the end of the bar, drawn by the unusual silence emanating from his mind. Reading his thoughts, she found them curated like a museum exhibit: five hazy portraits of extraordinary medeians he'd been selecting, followed by a mirror reflecting her own face. She realized he had let her into his mind deliberately. Without exchanging a word, Atlas placed his card before her and left, his thoughts communicating that in one hour the card would transport her somewhere important.

An hour later, Parisa found herself in a modern, minimalist room with Atlas and the five other recruits. She methodically assessed each person through their thoughts and appearances. She found Nico attractive but ultimately useless—a boy fixated on the earnest, good-natured Libby, whom Parisa dismissed as too well-intentioned to be useful. The blond South African, Callum, she recognized as a manipulator accustomed to getting his way, and she resolved not to fall under his influence. Reina, the naturalist, radiated raw power that Parisa found threatening enough to avoid. Tristan, the Englishman, intrigued her most among the recruits—she noted his scars, his festering anger, and his ability to see through illusions, including the cosmetic deceptions of others in the room.

When Dalton Ellery entered—a meticulously groomed researcher and member of the Society's most recently initiated class—Parisa was immediately drawn to him. Dalton was visibly affected by her beauty but was blocking parts of his thoughts, an unusual defensive skill. As Parisa probed Dalton's mind, Atlas communicated telepathically with her, revealing himself as a fellow telepath. He warned her to stay away from Dalton and advised that he would tell Dalton the same. Parisa conceded outwardly but remained undeterred. Atlas then moved the group toward discussing the details of their initiation into the Alexandrian Society.