At first, there was nothing. Then bubbles started to rise around him, faster and faster, like the water was leaping to a boil. Or . . . A particularly childish image popped into my head and refused to leave. I couldn’t help myself. I pinched my nose. “Max!” I breathed, aghast. “In Threll, it is very rude to do that in front of others.” For a moment, Max just looked confused. Then realization swept over his face and his mouth flattened into a very tense, very straight line. “Tisaanah . . . Ascended help me, was that a fart joke?” I just stood there, pinching my nose, grinning. Serel and I had
  
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