I too had this same issue, but it was after stunning the other Handmaidens. What brought me out of the fight with the Handmaidens, and started the fight with Atris was running around the Academy hysterically trying to figure out what to do then succumbing to my base anger and attacking a handmaiden that was already stunned. Once I unleashed my horror, they went back to being stunned and Atris walked out. Cue fight with her, Exile shows up, etc.