“They said you were dead,” Gurney repeated.
“And it seemed the best protection to let them think so,” Paul said.
Gurney realized that was all the apology he’d ever get for having been abandoned to his own resources, left to believe his young Duke … his friend, was dead. He wondered then if there were anything left here of the boy he had known and trained in the Ways of fighting men.
Paul took a step closer to Gurney, found that he had tears in his eyes. “Gurney ….”
It seemed to happen of itself, and they were embracing, pounding each other on the back, feeling the reassurance of solid flesh.
“You young pup! You young pup!” Gurney kept saying.
And Paul: “Gurney, man! Gurney, man!”