“A second voice coming... I’m dreading, but I cannot ignore it,”

Mars felt her hands shaking, she watched Devi from behind the curtains gathered at the ends of the stage. Whatever Devi was up to, she wanted to be prepared for it. Unsure of what to expect, she clenched her fists and hoped that would somehow protect her from the... monster?

“It seems that I should’ve noticed, sooner...”

Devi’s voice hadn’t affected her back at the beach, why would it have? Her comrades were the real concern, from what she had read, sirens only lured men.

“I’m faking and I’m bluffing, it was fun, but it’s no longer funny…”

This voice, it wasn’t the same as it had been the last time Mars had heard it. Not that it wasn’t rich, or enchanting… those elements were still there… what was different this time was that there was heart in it. The audience was enraptured, no magic, no bewitchment, only feelings. Although, even if it were enchanted, Mars supposed she wouldn’t be able to tell the difference. 

“It’s my fault, here let’s toast, to my emotional stupor.”

The music captivated the audience, and rightly so. The layering was thick, not a song one made on a whim. No, this was a piece of marble that was carefully and meticulously carved into a statue of a Greek god. Each note carried a power, so evenly distributed that Mars’ heart beat couldn’t keep up.

“I could say, it’s okay, but that’s not the case…”

Mars inhaled sharply, she had forgotten to breathe. Her fists relaxed, and she glanced back at her fellow bandmates. They were not paying attention to her, or the performance on the other side of the curtain, they were too busy tuning their own instruments.

“Stop saying it’s fine, he’ll never be mine, who am I fooling?”

The music Devi produced was what Mars had tried to explain to her friends that morning. The kind of music she longed to create. The tight feeling in her chest came from both envy and awe.

“Take it back, I won’t hear it today…”

Mars anticipated the drop coming in her heart before it happened in the song. Devi’s notes fell into a brittle melody, breaking, like a wilting flower, when a sudden flame in her eyes ignited.

“You’re letting it stack, smother my flame, I’m ready to lose it…”

Then, as powerful as the last line had been, the song wound down into the most delicate sound. Mars found herself wanting to protect Devi. From what? She did not know.

“It’s alright, I’m healing…”

These were real emotions in real time.

“Okay no, I’m seething…”

And Mars could feel them.

“But then maybe I’ll be weeping.”