Odin's Murder by Angel Lawson, Kira Gold

different—was it a cave? And I’ve never heard them scream like that before.”
    “I have no idea.” I sip the coffee, ignoring my shaky hands.
    “Was it yours this time, or mine?” His voice is flat and weird, and he runs his hands through his hair, and it spreads between them, like feathers. I shudder.
    “Mine,” I say. “No naked girls running around with birdseed in their hands.”
    “Ha-freaking-ha,” but a smile flickers over his tired face. “Have you sketched it yet?
    “Don’t I always?” I sigh, and wrap my fingers around the coffee to keep from fixing his hair, which is tugged in all the wrong directions. “Have you written it down already?”
    He nods. “Trade you later.”
    “Hey guys,” Faye walks up with a muffin and a bottle of juice. “Memory, I hope you got back to sleep last night. That was a pretty violent nightmare.”
    “I’m so sorry. I hope I didn’t freak you out too bad.” I glance at Julian. “Faye woke me up.”
    “I was just worried about you. It took me a minute to shake you out of it.”
    “At least I didn’t rip the curtains down and start chanting REDRUM, REDRUM!” I force a tired chuckle, but her eyes grow even wider, if that’s possible. “I’m just kidding!” Sort of. Well, at least about the Stephen King reference. I look around the quad, eager to change the subject, and spot Ethan walking toward the dining hall with Danielle. I gesture to the couple. “What’s that about?”
    “Not sure, but he came back in just five minutes before curfew last night. I’m pretty sure he’s going to give me an ulcer before the summer is over,” Julian says, scowling at the pair. “I’m going to the study room.”
    Faye steps in his direction. “I’ll go with you.”
    “Be there in a minute.” I wave. I’m still watching Danielle and Ethan. They’re not touching, but there is a comfort level going on that indicates they have been. He leaves her on the front steps of the dining hall.
    “Miss Erikssen! Exactly whom I was hoping to find.” Professor Anders’ shoelaces are untied and one side of his shirt is untucked, and his hair looks like it hasn’t seen a comb in months.
    “Good morning, sir.” I stop, and he catches up to me, eyeing my coffee like I’m holding a lump of gold. “You were looking for me?”
    “I’d like to start the individual student meetings for the cooperative project today. When would you be free to stop by my office?”
    I swallow too big and gasp at the hot liquid burning my throat. “Ethan already made a complaint, didn’t he?”
    “This has nothing to do with other members of the group,” he lies. “I want to touch base with you , to see how the project is resonating with your interests.”
    “Well, we’re not very far along,” I hedge. “Kind of still looking at sources, seeing what is out there.”
    “Your list of approaches to the topic does seem a bit weak. I might have research materials that you could use. Perhaps it would help strengthen your direction.”
    “That might be great.” I grin at the thought of showing up my brother. Might shut him up about me spending the evening out with Jeremy rather than festering in library dust.
    He smiles back. “Excellent. Come by my office during free period. You are in the pre-lunch group?”
    I shake my head. “After.”
    “Even better. See you then,” he says, with an abrupt turn to the coffee kiosk.
    I toss my empty cup in the trash, and smooth my hair as I walk in Danielle’s direction. “Better hurry,” I tell her, swooping in by her side. “Cafeteria closes in a couple minutes.”
    “Oh, hi, Memory. Yeah, Ethan went in to grab a couple things. I’m waiting for my group.” She looks well rested—certainly better than I do. Maybe Julian had the time wrong.
    “Did you have fun last night?”
    “I showed Ethan around campus. I saw you and Jeremy hanging out. He’s my group advisor.”
    “Yeah, squeaked in under the curfew.” I give her a conspiratorial