The entire lot--pavement, cars, the old yellow bus in the distance--was covered with a fine sheeting of white powder that sparkled under the moonlight.

" Isn't that just snow? "

"I think that's just snow."

"The balance is off," Ash said grimly, gazing around the alien landscape. Winter is supposed to hold the power right now, but with the scepter gone, the natural cycle is thrown off. So you get events like this." He gestured to the snowy parking lot. "It will only get worse, unfortunately."

"Then we should go get the scepter." She replies simply.

" how much worse? "

The cat made a great show of licking his front paw, not responding to any of them.

"...What did you find?" Puck asked, and Grimalkin finally looked up.

"Maybe the scepter. Maybe nothing." He flicked his paw several times before continuing. "But...there is a rumor on the streets of a great gathering of Iron fey in a factory in downtown San Jose. We located it, and it looks abandoned, so perhaps Virus has not gathered her army yet."

" Have you been inside? "

"Then we should hurry up and go there."

Ash narrowed his eyes.

"No, we haven't been inside. I left Ironhorse at the factory," Grimalkin said. "He was ready to charge in, but I convinced him I would return with you and Goodfellow. He is still there, for all I know."