Free Wizard (The Key to Magic) by H. Jonas Rhynedahll

like someone from Pyra."
    "Have you been to Pyra?"
    "I can't get a permit to leave Dhiloeckmyur."
    Mar scowled. "How far is the Bazaar?"
    "Ten minutes at this pace. I'm Nali."
    "Plydrol."
    "That's a fake name if I ever heard one."
    "Is there any particular reason why you're following me?"
    "I was headed to the Bazaar when you smashed into the tunnel. Where are your shoes?"
    Mar stopped. "What's your game?"
    "What do you mean?"
    "Two minutes ago you tried to kill me. Now you act as if you're my boon companion. A turnaround like that has to be a set up for a swindle or the bait for a trap. I promise you, I'll be very difficult to waylay."
    " Boon companion? That's a phrase that you only hear in the theatre."
    "Answer my question."
    She wrinkled her nose and looked comically wounded.
    "Come on. Let's have it."
    With a grin, she said, "Well, at first, I thought that you were Faction."
    It was plain that she thought the average person would believe that alone sufficient reason for murderous intent.
    "And now?"
    "You're an unlicensed sorcerer. I know someone that needs your services. My finder's fee will be considerable."
    Mar considered the woman for a moment. "What's my cut?"
    "I know that Fynd will pay at least two thousand."
    Not having any idea what sort of coin these people used, he did not know if this amount were a lot or a little, but given Nali's undisguised mercenary attitude, it could hardly be a pittance. By definition, money in his pocket had to be an advantage. Besides, he was hungry. Every market that he had ever seen had had food vendors. Though he was a bit out of practice, he might have just stolen a bit to eat, but he did not know enough about this Bazaar to chance the unsophisticated sneak and grab technique that had served him so well in Khalar.
    "I'll listen to her offer. She's at the Bazaar?"
    "Of course. She has a permanent stall."
    Except for his lamp -- he wondered why Nali had been able to manage without one but did not feel moved to ask -- the tunnel, which took on a gradual downward slope, remained dark until they arrived at an ethereal curtain that sliced completely across the passage. He had detected it several dozen paces before they approached, but did not recognize the gloomy argent of which it was composed and had no inkling of its purpose. Although discernable because the tunnel could not be seen beyond it -- the light of his lamp did not pass through or reflect from it -- it was apparently immaterial and had no surface that he could visually perceive.
    Nali gave no indication that she took the curtain's presence as anything other than expected and did not alter her pace, barreling straight through without any apparent harm or interference and vanishing from his sight.
    Nevertheless on guard against anything untoward, he paused for a moment then followed. Immediately within, he had to stop to blink against a light as bright as noon. As his eyes adjusted, he held his position and took a look around.
    Now lit by lamps fixed overhead, the tunnel ended only a few steps beyond the ethereal curtain, with the left wall taken away to give access to a large, likewise smooth-walled circular cavern as large as had been the lower level in Llylquaendt's bunker. From what he could see, people, merchandise, and stalls filled the cavern from one side to the other. Neglecting the fact that he could not identify a large portion of the items for sale, this Bazaar seemed no different than any street market he had seen in his own time.
    Nali had stopped at the roughly oval tunnel exit and turned to see what delayed him. Waving in agitation and grinning, she urged. "Hurry up! I've already figured out how I want to spend my fee!"
    Returning her smile in spite of his own dark mood, he extinguished his lamp and the two of them trotted down the wide ramp into the crowd.
    Mar's clothing drew some stares, but no more than that of Nali or any number of others who struck him as oddly attired. The people themselves fit the