She can't look at his arm. It's thin, frail, not like his at all. He feels emaciated, like no one cared for him, did he ever eat. Did that empress feed him. Did he need to be fed all wrapped up in this or was his need to eat pushed away by the same thing that kept him alive so many sweeps. His other arm is going to fall soon and she should get that knob before it does. She doesn't want to deal with his body falling while she's setting him free.

It's a balancing act now. An arm looped around his waist and the other hand above her head. It's a blind search, given she's unwilling to let him go, to let him fall, and it's a solid minute before her hand falls on the knob.

"There!" She yanks, sharply and it slides into place.