The Tyrant's Tomb

lover boy! I didn’t agree—”
“What’s done is done!” I rose. “A wish cannot be taken back. Now you
must honor your side of the bargain.”
Her eyes danced with panic. “I—I can’t. I won’t!”
I laughed, thinking she was merely nervous. I spread my arms. “Don’t be
afraid.”
“Of course I’m afraid!” She backed away farther. “Nothing good ever
happens to your lovers! I just wanted to be your Sibyl, and now you’ve made
things weird!”
My smile crumbled. I felt my ardor cooling, turning stormy. “Don’t
anger me, Sibyl. I am offering you the universe. I’ve given you nearimmortal
life. You cannot refuse payment.”
“Payment?” She balled her hands into fists. “You dare think of me as a
transaction?”
I frowned. This afternoon really wasn’t going the way I’d planned. “I
didn’t mean—Obviously, I wasn’t—”
“Well, Lord Apollo,” she growled, “if this is a transaction, then I defer
payment until your side of the bargain is complete. You said it yourself:
near-immortal life. I’ll live until the grains of sand run out, yes? Come back
to me at the end of that time. Then, if you still want me, I’m yours.”
I dropped my arms. Suddenly, all the things I’d loved about the Sibyl
became things I hated: her headstrong attitude, her lack of awe, her
infuriating, unattainable beauty. Especially her beauty.
“Very well.” My voice turned colder than any sun god’s should be. “You
want to argue over the fine print of our contract? I promised you life, not
youth. You can have your centuries of existence. You will remain my Sibyl. I
cannot take those things away, once given. But you will grow old. You will
wither. You will not be able to die.”
“I would prefer that!” Her words were defiant, but her voice trembled
with fear.
“Fine!” I snapped.
“Fine!” she yelled back.
I vanished in a column of flame, having succeeded in making things very
weird indeed.
Over the centuries, the Sibyl had withered, just as I’d threatened. Her
physical form lasted longer than any ordinary mortal’s, but the pain I had
caused her, the lingering agony…Even if I’d had regrets about my hasty