Page 40 of Ascending

“You’ve never been, but you own it?”

“My family owns a lot of property on St. Rais, Palmer. I’ve never had any reason to go up here. The last time I went camping with my family, I was seven, and it was at the state park on the other side of the island. We didn’t sleep in tents, but it was fun. I’ve never actually been to the top of this hill and just stared up at the Northern Lights. I thought maybe you’d like to do that with me.”

Palmer smiled as she said, “I’d be honored.” Then, her eyes went wide. “Wait. Arewesleeping in tents?”

Elizabeth laughed and answered, “Yes, we are. It’s going to be authentic.”

“It’s going to be cold,” Palmer replied.

???

“Your Majesty, we’ve secured the perimeter,” the guard said after opening her car door. “Your tent has been set up as well.”

“Thank you, Magnus,” she replied, climbing out of the vehicle. “Can you see that Miss Honeycutt’s bags, as well as my own, get placed inside?”

“Of course, Ma’am,” he said, bowing his head as she exited the vehicle.

“Your Majesty?” Palmer said from inside the SUV.

“Yes?” Elizabeth turned around and looked back inside, smiling at the confused woman.

“It’s like, negative twenty out there, isn’t it?”

“Fahrenheit or Celsius?” Elizabeth teased.

“Does it matter?”

“About nine degrees or so,” Elizabeth replied.

“You’re avoiding my question,” Palmer said.

“The tent is about fifty meters away.”

“What’s that in feet?”

“One hundred and sixty-four,” Elizabeth said. “Now, get out of the car.”

“Did you just do that in your head?” Palmer asked, sliding out of the SUV.

“Yes. Now, let’s go. The sun is going to be setting soon. If we want to walk around a bit, we need to do it now, or it’ll be too dark.”

“You want to walk around here? You said fifty meters to my tent and, I assume, a nice warm sleeping bag and space heater,” Palmer replied.

“Don’t you have winter in the States?” Elizabeth asked.

“Not likethis,” she replied, rubbing her hands together.

“Come on. Let’s go to the tent.”

“Tent, singular?” Palmer asked.

“Is that not okay?” Elizabeth asked back as they trudged through the snow. “There are tents for the security personnel; I can ask them to bunk together and give you your own tent. I–”

“It’s fine. I just thoughtyou’dwant your own space,” Palmer replied.

“I don’t think camping in my own tent is nearly as fun as campingwithsomeone,” Elizabeth told her.

“Well, take me to it first, then. I’d like to warm up before we go on this little hike of yours, if that’s okay. Plus, I need to change. You didn’t tell me to wear my long underwear.”

---