Submitting to the Shadow (Kindred Tales #27) - Evangeline Anderson Page 0,79

even stand to think about it—let alone discuss it.

She’d been trying all week to put Roark out of her mind but today she couldn’t avoid him. Because today was the day of the Severing. In fact, it was probably Doctor Liv at the door right now, getting ready to release her from the Med Center.

“Come in,” Meg called, since Sammi couldn’t. Sure enough, a blonde head popped through the door and Liv said,

“Excuse me, Samantha—we need to talk to you.”

We? Sammi wondered but her question was soon answered when a little hairy creature that looked like a cross between a baboon and a hound dog walked into her room right behind Liv. He was wearing a miniature lab coat and his long ears flopped when he walked.

“This is Yipper, the Tolleg Surgeon who helped save your life when Commander Roark first brought you in,” Liv said, nodding at the little creature.

He nodded vigorously at Sammi.

“It’s very nice to meet you. Yes it is, yes it is!”

Sammi just nodded back, since she was unable to speak.

“Are you here to release Sammi from the Med Center?” Meg asked hopefully. “And to tell her when she can speak again? We can carry on a conversation just fine because we’re so close, but it’s going to be hard on her if she can’t talk to anyone else,” she added.

“Well, that’s what we’re here to talk about.” Liv had a serious look on her pretty face that struck fear in Sammi’s heart. Instinctively she put a hand to her throat. It was still a little bit tender but no longer sore or painful—she seemed to be healing well, so what was the problem?

“Samantha…Sammi…” Liv came to sit on the side of her bed and took one of Sammi’s hands in hers. “You know that your trachea was partially crushed during the attack you suffered down on Earth, right?”

Sammi nodded and raised her eyebrows. Yes, and…?

“Well, your larynx—your voice box—was also damaged, we fear permanently,” Liv told her. “We’ve been hoping that spending a week of complete bed rest might enable it to heal some but, well…I understand from your friend Meg that you still can’t make any sounds?”

Well, I haven’t really tried since I’ve been under orders not to, Sammi wanted to say. She opened her mouth and tried—really tried—to talk for the first time since she’d woken up in the Med Center.

Nothing came out.

Sammi tried harder. She voiced a shout…that came out as soft choking sound and a rush of air. The effort felt like a knife in her neck and she gasped and put a hand to her throat, her eyes tearing up with pain.

“Don’t try that again,” Liv said anxiously. “You might make things worse.”

Worse than not being able to talk? Sammi thought, tears still stinging her eyes.

Would she have to go through life as a mute now? What if she wanted to move back to Earth and be a professor again? How would she teach if she couldn’t talk? What was she going to do?

“What is she going to do?” Meg asked, voicing her thoughts, much to Sammi’s relief. “She’s not just a scientist, you know—she’s a professor too. How can she teach without her voice?”

“Well, that’s what we’re here to talk about,” Liv said comfortingly, squeezing Sammi’s hand. “You see, though your original voice box was damaged beyond repair, Samantha, there is still hope for you to talk again. Yipper, here, is an expert at replacing damaged body parts.”

“So…you can build her a whole new voice box?” Meg asked, looking at the hairy little surgeon doubtfully.

“Yes I can, yes I can!” He nodded vigorously, his long ears flopping with the motion. “But…there is one problem. Yes there is, yes there is,” he added, looking more subdued.

“What?” Meg demanded as Sammi mouthed the same thing.

“Well…voice boxes are a very unique part of the body, yes they are, yes they are. No two human’s vocal chords are the same,” Yipper explained earnestly. “So while I can build a new voice box for you, Samantha, it will never quite sound exactly as your old one did. Your voice may never sound completely right to you. No it won’t, no it won’t.”

“So, you won’t be able to match her old voice?” Meg asked.

Yipper shook his head sadly.

“I will try, of course. Yes I will, yes I will! But I will not be able to make an exact match. However, any recordings you have of your old voice will be most helpful,” he added, looking