Page 71 of Lake of Sorrow
“You could always fall in the river again.”
“I adore being your brother.” Frayvar sighed and lowered himself to all fours.
“Thank you.” Kaylina carefully stepped on his back as she braced herself against the wall. It was as disgusting as the ground. “You’re a good brother.”
“I’m an amazing brother.”
“I’m not arguing.”
With him boosting her, Kaylina gripped the ragged edge left by the grate removal. Pieces of mortar and brick crumbled under her grip, and she hesitated to hang her weight from her fingers.
“I don’t suppose you taybarri brought a rope,” she called softly.
The shadows stirred but not because of a head this time. A thick taybarri tail drooped through the opening.
“You want me to grab that?” Kaylina asked. “Won’t that hurt?”
She wasn’t sure she could get a good grip since the tail was a lot thicker than a rope. Despite the fur, they always reminded her more of lizard tails than those of mammals.
The two whuffs that floated down sounded amused. Kaylina reminded herself that she’d seen enemies swing axes at the taybarri. They were tough creatures.
“All right.” She ended up hugging the tail more than gripping it like a rope, then risked shifting her weight from Frayvar’s back to it.
The taybarri took a couple of steps, pulling her up. Her shoulder bashed against the side of the opening, knocking more debris free, and Frayvar groaned as pieces pelted him.
“Sorry,” she whispered, rolling away from the opening as soon as she could.
In the street, Kaylina pushed herself to her knees, intending to turn and lower a hand down for her brother. But her taybarri helper had already backed close and lowered his tail again. Her tail. By the streetlamp, there was enough to see Levitke’s familiar snout and warm brown eyes in her blue-furred face.
A male taybarri stood nearby, but that wasn’t Crenoch. He was probably still with Vlerion in the preserve. Maybe Levitke had batted her lashes and lured this one away from headquarters to help. The male had his nostrils in the air, his floppy ears twitching as he sampled the city scents—and whatever wafted up from the sewer opening.
“Uhm?” Frayvar’s voice wafted up.
“That tail is for you. Grab on.” Kaylina refrained from using the word hug since he had an aversion to that.
“Do I… jump?”
“Do chefs not do that?”
“I’m not sure how much weight a tail can handle.”
Levitke looked over her shoulder, then backed closer to the hole so it would lower further. The bend in her tail did not appear natural. It usually stuck out horizontally, swishing back and forth low to the ground as the taybarri walked.
“That’s as low as it’s going to get.” Kaylina crouched near the hole so she could help.
“Give me a second. I’ll try to get a running start. Without falling.”
Having seen her brother attempt athletic feats, Kaylina winced. She also hoped he wouldn’t hurt Levitke.
“Is it easy to kink your tail like that?” Kaylina asked the taybarri as she looked around, not recognizing the street where they’d come up. Brick row houses lined either side, with a fountain at a well-lit intersection a half a block away. She hadn’t spent much time exploring residential areas since they’d arrived. “Or are you doing us a huge favor?”
Levitke curved her body so that she could lick Kaylina’s face.
“Favor. Got it. Hurry up, Frayvar.”
A scrape and thump came from below, followed by a grunt. “I’m on.”
Levitke walked forward, the weight on her tail not noticeably bothering her. As soon as Frayvar’s head came into view, Kaylina grabbed him under the armpits and helped him into the street.