Something sealed the opening above, cutting off light from the upper level and casting us into near complete darkness. Nobody moved or spoke, but on either side slender hands squeezed my fingers, seeking reassurance. For a moment I felt like Charlie touring a deceptively Utopian chocolate factory, only our candy maker was a sadistic Oompa Loompa with unkempt red hair and mischievous eyes.

"How far down does this go?" I asked, more to break the silence than out of curiosity.

Finn's silhouette turned and I could sense the smirk on her face. "Patience."

After what seemed like an eternity, the cage stopped and I heard the gate open, though we hadn't stopped on anything solid as each movement caused the floor to shift under our feet. Something stirred and light flared, revealing torches set into alcoves on either side of a high, dark hallway. She waved us onward and we carefully fell in behind her, new flames appearing as we approached them. We passed a pair of heavy, wooden doors, one on either side, but didn't stop until the path opened into a chamber only vaguely illuminated by the light behind us, so wide we couldn't see the far side.

"Sorry for all the theatrics," she said without a hint of remorse, "but I didn't want to spoil the surprise early." With that, she snapped her fingers and the hallway torches went out, plunging us into absolute night. Rachel cursed and everyone huddled closer together.

"Finn?" I called out, but instead of an answer, light and color erupted from every side, as though our world had been reborn. Nothing could have prepared us for what we saw.

"Oh my god," Katherine whispered, her voice quaking slightly as her nails dug into my arm.

The circular chamber was enormous, a vast cavern, supported by granite pillars and crowned with a vaulted ceiling like a cathedral. The stone path under our feet circled the hall through a broad garden, while narrow waterfalls spilled from openings high in ivy covered walls, collecting in streams that converged in the center, vanishing beneath a raised, stone dais, at least fifty feet across. Tall arches, evenly spaced between the waterfalls, led down additional halls.

The light came from a huge, glass globe floating in the center, high overhead, but it rippled and shifted as though it wasn't the source, but only a reflection. The effect was ethereal, as if we stood at the bottom of a crystal lake while waves danced playfully overhead.

I'd never seen anything so beautiful. It felt sacred, created for beings more worthy than mortals, but something about it unnerved me, something out of place. The girls were beatific, mesmerized by the wonder around us. Tears flowed freely down Katherine's cheeks.

"Can I assume you like it?" Finn asked. Katherine swallowed hard, dazzled by her surroundings.

"It's more than I could have dreamed."

The dais was made from white marble resting atop short, thick columns like a tier on a wedding cake, it's top lined with pillars and matching benches. The girls rushed down the path, across a little wooden bridge, and up a set of polished stairs to reach it, turning as if trying to absorb everything at once. In the very center sat a white, raised gazebo, a formal perch fit for royalty.

"What is this?" I asked when I found my voice.

Finn shrugged. "She asked for a ballroom." When I didn't respond she gave me a sharp nudge. "Stop being so suspicious, Tom. They're enjoying themselves, aren't they?"

That was an understatement. The three of them were enchanted, transformed by the environment into fairytale princesses, gliding over the floor as if caught up in a dance.

Then I realized what was bothering me. The great hall radiated age. It hadn't been built in three days, it was older than the warehouse, far older even than the fortress that had come before. Looking closer I could see balconies in the walls, though there were no windows behind them. There was also evidence of newer construction, repairs that proved my hypothesis. Why had Finn lied, and what did she stand to gain from it?

"Fuck me blue," Rachel cried out, twirling in place. "Is it too late to ask for a bank vault full of gold?"

"Next time," Finn laughed, then gestured broadly. "There are empty rooms down these halls, though we've used some of them as temporary storage. Oh, and Meg set up a studio for her more delicate work—I recommend you stay out of there."

She pivoted on her heel and strode along the path while I followed behind, the girls rushing to join us. That's when we noticed other doors, smaller than the archways, set into the outer wall.

"What's behind those?" Katherine asked,

Finn smirked and skipped ahead. "I was hoping you'd ask," she said, and pushed the first one open.

"A library!" Becca squealed and ran inside. Tall, dark-wood shelves were packed with books of every description around a heavy, rectangular table and matching chairs. A few pedestals and cabinets hosted strange devices I couldn't identify, and at the far end I recognized Miss Gold's artifact chest resting on its own platform. A carved rack mounted to the wall above it held the Fferyn.

"Technically, it's an arcanum," Finn said. "Most of what you'll find in here is lore and a few trinkets that Meg can explain better than I can, but I've reserved some of the shelves for fun. It's a good place to meet or practice magic, though I doubt most of you will get much out of it."

"Then why is it here?" I asked.

"Because it might provide answers when you have questions. The Glim is a rich and powerful artifact, but it's a pain in the ass. Even if some of you can read it, these might provide additional, useful context. Members of my crew will need to access it from time to time, and Meg will occasionally return for some of her... thingies."

"Where did all the books come from?"

"Most are mine," she said, "so I expect you to take good care of them. A few belong to Gold and the rest were donated by friends or members of my staff. Even Gwern donated a few volumes, but he doesn't know it yet."

"Gwern?"

"One of the Aes Sidhe, powerful enough to keep himself and his followers independent of the courts. He's also kind of a dick. Likes to start wars for fun."

Finn caught Becca's wandering eye and nodded at a shelf near the door. "Why don't you look over there."

Becca skipped closer and knelt down to run her finger across the spines. "No way! Where did you get these?"

"Bought them. Fourth edition."

"What is it?" Katherine asked.

Becca turned toward us, beaming. "They're Dungeons and Dragons books! Like, all of them, and a DM screen and boxes of dice!" She glanced sideways at Finn. "Do you really play?"

"Not lately."

"That's crazy!" she said excitedly. "You have real magic."

"Should that make a difference?"

"But these are just games. It's only pretend."

"Are you sure?" Finn asked and knelt down next to her. She pulled a volume off the shelf with a giant one-eyed monster on the cover. "Just because I can manifest pointy ears and tails doesn't mean I don't fantasize about throwing fireballs or swinging an axe. Every stitch of lore in here comes from stories about the Fae. Most of it is wrong, of course, but that doesn't matter. The real world is messy, with or without magic, and you can't fold it up and put it away when you've had enough." She handed the book to Becca. "Sometimes this is better."

A short, nervous giggle escaped the shy girl's mouth, and she lunged forward, wrapping Finn in a spontaneous hug. Once she caught her balance, Finn hugged back.

The next door opened on a wide, open area covered in soft mats. One wall had been lined with mirrors, and at the far end sat a small selection of weapon racks mingled with modern equipment we instantly recognized. The training room was equally fit for dancing, yoga, martial arts, or bodybuilding and Rachel spent several minutes gushing over it, which greatly pleased both Finn and Amy.

The third room was white, sterile, and apart from a row of cabinets and counters, it was entirely empty. Finn said nothing for a while, letting me puzzle it out on my own.

"Is this a lab?"

"Not yet," she said. "I wanted to indulge your passions, and your girlfriend shot down my first suggestion." Katherine coughed and looked away when Finn winked at her. "The problem is sourcing the equipment you need to make it functional. Most of it is regulated, so we can't just walk into a showroom and pick it up."

"Thanks," I said absently, trying to imagine the potential. It wasn't exactly a passion of mine, but I couldn't think of anything else that inspired me.

The last door made the least sense. Opening it revealed a vestibule with a table covered in lights, buttons, and levers, with a wide window that overlooked a large studio, its wooden walls carved in intricate, organic shapes. It wasn't as big as the other rooms, but contained a piano and a handful of other instruments, including Rachel's birthday guitar.

"It seemed like a good idea," was all Finn would say about the music room. "The booth also feeds speakers in the ballroom in case you want to, you know, dance or something."

"I don't know what to say." Katherine smiled her thanks and everyone joined in with words of appreciation that felt far too small, but Amy giggled with excitement and Finn shook her tousled head.

"You're welcome, but hold on to that thought," Finn beamed, "I saved the best for last."

"But there aren't any more doors. Is it down one of the halls?"

"I didn't say it was behind a door. Come on."

She guided us back to the cage, walking slowly to build anticipation, then rapped the bars again, beginning another descent. The second ride was even longer, taking us another fifty feet into the earth. We had to be well beneath the river bed by then, but I could still hear and smell water below.

"You're kidding," Rachel said before we reached the bottom where the shaft opened up into a cavern even larger than the one above, but nobody else spoke. They were too busy taking in the underground lake, shimmering with pale, reflected light.

"I can't take much credit for this," Finn said as she dismounted the last step. "All I meant to do here was install the generator and a reservoir so you could live without city resources, but in the end, the pool was kind of a no-brainer. We're already filtering and circulating water for drinking, bathing, heating, and cooling the power systems, and you have more than enough juice to warm it up it so you won't freeze to death. All we had to do was dig a bigger hole."

"There was a little more to it than that," Amy scoffed, "and I still don't know why you risked hiring the trows if you didn't mean to take it this far."

Finn ignored her and walked to the water's edge. The entire space was cut from natural rock with rough pillars for support. A rush of water fell from the shadows above, likely runoff from the ballroom above, splashing into the center of the lake. The wide, stony shore was smooth but not slippery and extended half way around, leading to more doors and dark hallways.

"I don't see the generator you said was down here," Rachel said. "What about the pumps and water tanks?"

Finn gestured toward one of the cave walls. "That's a partition. If you look for it, you'll find a locked access door that Tom can open with his ring, but I suggest you enjoy your swim and leave the highly sensitive and potentially volatile equipment to the people who know what they're doing."

She paused long enough to ensure there were no more questions, then, with her hands on her hips, she took one more look at each of us, as if recording our expressions, and nodded in satisfaction. "Now that you've seen the good stuff, I need to drive the elves back out to the forest."

Finn started back toward the elevator and we automatically followed, all except Becca. I knew Rachel would appreciate the pool, but Becca's whole face brimmed with anticipation as she stared into the sparkling water with an expression approaching rapture. I had to shake her shoulder gently to get her attention. She flinched as if I had appeared out of nowhere, then smiled warmly and hooked her arm around mine.

"It's really nice," she sighed, and let me walk her out.

Finn left without ceremony and Rachel returned her Jeep to its place just inside the doors, then the girls began to explore, led by Amy who bounded from surface to surface with startling speed and agility. There was more to each of the rooms than any of us had seen at first, and even the lake held surprises, like a door that concealed a changing room complete with lockers, additional showers, a full-body dryer, and other amenities. Behind another we discovered our new laundry, with several commercial, high capacity machines, and chutes that inexplicably received our clothing from the main floor. Back upstairs, Amy revealed a luxury hot tub and sauna installed as new additions to the bath house.

I bailed out early and settled in the room that had once been our office. It was nowhere near as finished as the rest of Meridian, bearing traces of its original bohemian state. The table and shelves were now missing, but they'd been replaced with a sturdy armoire and a stout desk. Though the nine-foot bed prevented me from thinking of it as a practical apartment, I chose to move my clothing from the steamer trunk to the armoire, laying a tentative claim to the space.

Afterward, I left the building and tried to walk off that unwarranted anxiety. The faintly shimmering dome around us made everything beyond its border seem part of a different world, as though we'd been sealed away within a snow globe. I cursed myself for my inability to appreciate the grandeur of what we'd been gifted.

"Needed time to take it all in?" Amy's voice cut through the crisp Autumn air.

I turned and watched her approach through the fallen leaves. It was strange, seeing her shuffle across the ground instead of bounding between obstacles. She seemed limited, smaller than usual.

"No, just getting some air. I thought you were with the girls."

"They're sufficiently occupied. I was worried about you. Mind if I hitch a ride?" She stopped at my feet and held up mittened hands. "I'm covered and I promise to be careful."

I nodded, refusing to continue giving in to my fears. With a leap she reached my forearm, and from there climbed to my shoulder. I began walking again without a reply.

"Polly want a cracker," she said in my ear, and I grinned at last. "We could be a pirate duo for Halloween, I just need to collect a few feathers."

"I thought the Fae had issues."

"It's a sensitive subject, but I don't think a little private party would do any harm. I asked around, and some of the brunaidh agreed to help me with decorations."

"Really?" I said, turning to look at her and nearly knocking her off my shoulder. "Sorry."

"It's okay," she laughed, clinging to my jacket. "Don't expect anything crazy though, we're not building you a haunted house."

"No," I agreed. "Just something nice and normal, but special. Something fun."

She steadied herself hanging on to my collar. "You miss your life from before, don't you?"

"I don't miss being sick, but yeah. Parts of this have been great. Meeting you, Miss Gold..."

"Nobody else?"

I sighed, "Fine. Finn too. I fought so hard to get a grip on things inside my own head, but now that the crazy is all out here, I don't have a clue how to handle it. Magic spells, a homicidal father, ancient ruins built beneath rivers..."

"And you think a party will help?"

"No." I shook my head, careful to avoid dislodging my passenger again. "But it would be nice to have one night to just be me. And I think the girls would love it."

"Am I invited?"

"Of course you are, you're part of the family too. But let's draw the line there."

"Do you want help with anything besides decorations?"

"Maybe. I have outfits for the girls, if they'll wear them, but I don't have anything for myself."

"I'm still up for the pirate duo if you can find an eyepatch."

"Actually," I said, grinning to myself as anticipation melted the tension in my shoulders. "I think I might have an idea."