"The Heart," said Ailee, standing up, "makes one hell of a consolation prize."

None of her daydreaming imagined this; an 11th hour companion, unknown and untested with matters of cosmic importance. She did not know her strengths or weaknesses or her story or the shape of her heart. But something inside of her made her [i]want[/i] to trust Surma and Ailee was not experienced enough with that emotion to say what it was. 

What she could say is that whoever this girl was, at the least she wasn't afraid.

"I'm going all the way down," she said. "And I'm not prepared for it. I think that's the only reason I made it this far. Preparing for a journey like this drives you mad, I think." She thought of the ancient and fossilized academics and scientists, the professor driven to clown worship as the grand achievement to a lifetime of study. "So this is the smash and grab approach to reality. Trying to break a game played by ancient wizards and devils by way of berserker rush. The odds suck but they're better than I'd ever get by playing fair. So, that's the pitch - do you want to bet your life on trying to out-stupid the smartest being in the cosmos?"