THE WIZARD AND THE SYLPH
Chapter Twenty
The City Of Alin
Alin lay a week's journey west of Lund. It was situated on the north bank of the slow-moving, silt-laden River Grey, and as such was the only inhabited city on the Narrow Plain, though in truth its existence represented nothing more than a tenuous foothold. Alin was more rural town than city, but its strategic position may perhaps explain its elevated standing in the eyes of those who dwelt, soldiered, and plied commerce in the north of Brand. That said, Alin lay directly in the path of
Morlock's plans for Lund, and this knowledge gave as much weight to the perception of Alin's importance, as it imbued that knowledge with an attendant dread for what was to come.
Lily hadn't known it, but earlier, when she had journeyed east by raft from the Bridge Fortress on the River Grey, both Alin and its bridge had gone unmarked by her during the course of the night. Where Alin had been concerned, this had been deliberate, for Belloc was loathe to make his movements known, to friend and foe alike.
Unlike Lund, the city of Alin was not a fortress. It was protected only by a rambling, crude stone wall that was neither very high nor very strong. The buildings within were mostly built of wood, and once under siege the city would soon burn out of control.