Nana came off the east stair as the brake handle jumped. She caught it before the chain slipped a tooth; the captive sled had reached the freight gate, its front shoe pressed against the main bar.
Every shove from inside made the brake chain twitch through the iron box beside the rail. A backward curl was cut into the brass collar of its handle.
Nana knew that mark from beneath Ty's cloth. Its groove ran to the main bar's catch. Elithira could lift the bar by seating her authority there, but Ty would fall under the old contract until the route challenge closed.
The person inside the cage pointed at its lower hinge, then put their hand on the inside latch.
"The sled is loading the gate; can you lift its inside catch?" Nana called.
"I can pull the door inward if you ease the chain first."
