"Glad I could help," she said, with a crooked smile in the corner of her mouth. "I hope you can find whatever it is you're looking for."

And, sadly, she still didn't know enough about Asgard to see the probabilities. But that was kind of what made it exciting. Being surprised could be alarming, but it could also be exhilarating. And, as she well knew, could change the course of your life.

"And Connor? Seriously, think about the dog. And I'll pick something on my list. We can hold each other accountable."