Page 24 of The Other Omega

“Her hormonal levels have improved considerably.”

Mireya studied the display. “Yes.”

“Presentation markers are within the normal range.” Samir moved his finger through another section of the hologram. “Endocrine regulation has stabilised as well.”

Mireya enlarged the reading herself and studied it without speaking.

“This is very good, Elowen,” Samir told me, smiling.

I smiled back. “I’m so glad.” Relief poured through me, my scent blooming around me—wild strawberries, wild jasmine and summer rain.

Mireya moved to the next panel.

“Scent-gland activity?” Cedric asked.

“Normal,” Samir said. “The inflammation has resolved.”

“Pheromone output?”

“Stable.”

Mireya brought forward a different set of readings with another finger movement. Samir studied them. “Reproductive markers are also within the expected range.”

Eleanor released a breath beside me. “That’s wonderful.”

“It’s encouraging,” Mireya said, returning to the hormonal readings Samir had already checked.

Cedric shifted slightly in his chair. “Is something concerning you?”

Mireya looked up. “No. I’m simply being thorough.”

Samir checked the display again. “Physically, her recovery is progressing exceptionally well.”

“Physically,” Mireya repeated.

A faint sharpness crept into her scent. It was so slight I wondered whether the others had noticed it too.

“Elowen’s physical presentation is only one part of what occurred,” she said, motioning to the next chart. “We must still assess the neurological symptoms and memory disturbance.”

“Of course,” Eleanor said. “Hopefully those results will be equally encouraging.” She sounded so hopeful. “Not that there’s any hurry, my sweetling. You’ll have as long as you need to recover. There’s no expectation from any of us.”

I squeezed her hand. “Thank you, Mum.”

Mireya dismissed the physical readings, and the holographic display shifted. An image of my brain appeared in their place, surrounded by rows of figures, pulsing lines and charts I couldn’t begin to understand. Samir moved closer, studying them just as carefully as Mireya did.

“Neural activity has stabilised considerably,” he said eventually.

Mireya enlarged one section of the scan. “Cortical activity is within the normal range.”

“Any residual irregularity?” Matthias asked.

Samir studied another chart. “Minimal. Nothing resembling what we recorded during her presentation.”

Eleanor’s fingers tightened around mine. “Is that good?”

Samir smiled. “Very.”

Mireya moved to another section of the display. “I’d forgotten about your Medical Master Apprenticeship, my friend.”