Page 13 of Santa’s Lawyer

“Never,” he said, dousing his own food with a suitable amount of syrup. He carved off a small piece of chicken with a bit of waffle, swirled it in the syrup, and took a bite.

“Oh, hell’s bells,” Louis said, covering his mouth with his hand.

Avery laughed, tucking into her own plate.

“How is that possible, anyway? No stomachaches?” she asked.

“Mmm, that’s an interesting bit,” Louis remarked after swallowing. “The North Pole is a magical place. Quite literally. The ground, the air, the sky: all full of golden, sparkling magic.”

Avery looked around the room.

“Erm—it’s usually invisible, unless being wielded or contained.” Louis clarified.

“Right, sure,” Avery said, pretending to follow. “Go on.”

“Christmas Magic,” he continued, “has many fascinating properties. It can deeply affect the human brain. It’s been known to act unpredictably in the presence of strong feelings. True love. But to your question, it has the ability to heal and protect. Because it’s all around us, everyone reaps the benefits, even if they can’t wield the magic themselves. It doesn’t eliminate all bad feelings. It—gives you a softer landing. It’s one of the reasons for the rather over-the-top NDA, and why this place, and how it operates, must remain a secret. If a pharmaceutical company got a hold of it, well, let’s just say I’m guessing they wouldn’t make it freely available to the people.”

Avery nodded, understanding immediately how powerful this kind of magic could be. She recalled her lack of panic upon waking up in a strange bed this morning. Under other circumstances, the news about the bar exam probably would have left her crying in the fetal position, and she’d already fully recovered. And if it meant she could eat dairy and gluten with reckless abandon, she could get used to this.

She could also get used to the sound of Louis’ voice in the morning.

“You’re an excellent dining companion, Louis,” she said, glancing up as she added more syrup to her plate. “Dinner and breakfast.”

“If you think that’s impressive, you should see me at lunch,” Louis said.

Avery laughed. “It’s a date,” she said with a wink before she could stop herself.

“Oh. Yes.” He cleared his throat and adjusted his posture. “We mustn't neglect your studies. Wouldn’t want you to get distr—fall behind.”

“Of course not,” she said, returning her focus to her plate. The magic left her with only a pale shade of embarrassment. “So, tell me how this exam works.”

“It’s simple, really. You’ll study until you know the material. There’s no formal 'test' that you sit for, exactly. You won’t be writing essays. Rather, each time you achieve a milestone, a bell will ring to signify that you’ve met one of the qualifications.”

“A bell,” Avery repeated, adding some powdered sugar to her plate.

“That’s right. It’s sort of a rolling examination. And you keep going until the last bell rings.”

She picked up her fork and paused. “How long will that take? How will I know it’s the last—?”

“You’ll know,” Louis preempted with a smile.

Avery began sawing at a waffle. “And what’s on the exam? What jurisdiction are we in? Where do I find the rules of civil procedure? How do I know what to study?”

“You’ve been assigned a tutor,” Louis patiently reminded her.

Avery set down her silverware. “Let me guess,” she said. “It’s a giant owl? A sentient snowman? A talking glass of warm milk?” The questions came out harsher than she intended. She appreciated a whimsical moment more than most, but her career was on the line. There was only so much of this she could take.

Louis turned in his chair to face her. “I hope this isn’t too much of a letdown,” he said, “but it’s me.”

Without thinking, she threw her arms around Louis and wrapped him in a hug. “Oh, thank goodness,” she breathed.

Avery felt the rumble of a small, satisfied sound in Louis’ chest vibrate against her as his hands found her back. An instant later, he tensed and withdrew.

He stammered and trailed off.

“I’m sorry,” Avery said, letting go. “That was so unprofessional of me.”

As she sat back, a flicker of motion above Louis’ head caught her eye. A green, swirling cloud appeared, the size of a Christmas ornament, slowly expanding and branching into small shoots of green leaves.