[ The casual deflection at the end lets her know even more than his words how true what he's saying is. But his words ring true even without that -

- and yes, she does, quite literally, know what it's like to be tethered to someplace she didn't want to be, realizing that if she didn't escape she would die. A partner you trust more than anyone. Absolute freedom.

This place, without that partner, must feel like quite the opposite to him. ]

That sounds both terribly wonderful and terribly exciting. [ And then, deliberately, so as to not leave things unbalanced: ] I do know a little bit about what that's like, though I can't say my escape involved anything as powerful as the freedom to go anywhere as a result. That's quite the treasure.

[ They should be coming about the bend now - the ambient light of the Chrysalis is increasing. ]