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* MagicPotion: Some of Ladros' magic can only work when suspended in liquid, and it's best when a person willingly drinks any potion he prepares.



* MagicPotion: Ladros' magic can only work when suspended in liquid, and it's best when a person willingly drinks any potion he prepares.



* OnlyKnownByTheirNickname: Carster's actual name is Castriar, but this was used instead since as a girl she called herself when unable to pronounce it.

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* OnlyKnownByTheirNickname: Carster's actual name is Castriar, but this was used instead since as a girl she called herself it when unable to pronounce it.her true one.
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''The Afterward'' is a fantasy novel written by E.K. Johnston. The book was published in 2019.

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''The Afterward'' is a fantasy novel written by E. K. Johnston. The book was published in 2019.
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''The Afterward'' is a fantasy novel written by E.K. Johnston. The book was published in 2019.
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* MarriageOfConvenience: Kalanthe needs to pay her debts as a knight, and starts considering an ArrangedMarriage to a lord, Edramore, to do so even though [[IncompatibleOrientation it will be loveless]]. When she meets him, it turns out that he doesn't want a romantic union either: he's [[YourDaysAreNumbered terminally ill]] and wants to make sure his children have a good stepmother to take care of them after he passes. [[spoiler:Unfortunately, he dies before she can formally accept his proposal]].

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* MarriageOfConvenience: Kalanthe needs to pay her debts as a knight, and starts considering an ArrangedMarriage to a lord, Edramore, to do so even though [[IncompatibleOrientation it will be loveless]].loveless given she's a lesbian]]. When she meets him, it turns out that he doesn't want a romantic union either: he's [[YourDaysAreNumbered terminally ill]] and wants to make sure his children have a good stepmother to take care of them after he passes. [[spoiler:Unfortunately, he dies before she can formally accept his proposal]].

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Alphabetizing example(s)


* MagicPotion: Ladros' magic can only work when suspended in liquid, and it's best when a person willingly drinks any potion he prepares.



* MagicPotion: Ladros' magic can only work when suspended in liquid, and it's best when a person willingly drinks any potion he prepares.
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* HeroOfAnotherStory: Sir Erris was the leader of the seven companions and the hero of the quest, and was [[AwesomeMomentOfCrowning crowned queen at its end]]. In the book itself, she's a supporting character to Kalanthe and Olsa.

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* HeroOfAnotherStory: Sir Erris [[RedBaron Quicksword]] was the leader of the seven companions and the hero of the quest, quest that saved the world from the Old God, and was [[AwesomeMomentOfCrowning crowned queen at its end]]. In the book itself, she's a supporting character to Kalanthe and Olsa.
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* NoPeriodsPeriod: Olsa never menstruated before the quest as she was malnourished. After this, Kalanthe gives Olsa a potion to stop her period again as it's inconvenient while on the quest. Kalanthe and the other cisgender women who are with them take it as well.

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* HeroOfAnotherStory: Branthear was the leader of the seven companions and the hero of the quest, and was [[AwesomeMomentOfCrowning crowned queen at its end]]. In the book itself, she's a supporting character to Kalanthe and Olsa.

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* HeroOfAnotherStory: Branthear Sir Erris was the leader of the seven companions and the hero of the quest, and was [[AwesomeMomentOfCrowning crowned queen at its end]]. In the book itself, she's a supporting character to Kalanthe and Olsa.


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* MarriageOfConvenience: Kalanthe needs to pay her debts as a knight, and starts considering an ArrangedMarriage to a lord, Edramore, to do so even though [[IncompatibleOrientation it will be loveless]]. When she meets him, it turns out that he doesn't want a romantic union either: he's [[YourDaysAreNumbered terminally ill]] and wants to make sure his children have a good stepmother to take care of them after he passes. [[spoiler:Unfortunately, he dies before she can formally accept his proposal]].
* MindRape: One of the Old God's servants cast a love spell on Sir Terriam. While this would have been a violation in and of itself, Sir Terriam is asexual, and thus the spell had to change her nature and severely damaged her brain. She managed to complete the quest, but retired afterward and is still adjusting when the novel picks up.


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* RuleOfSeven: Because it was seven godlings who sealed away the Old God the first time, Erris decided to have seven companions on her quest to banish him again. It's primarily why Olsa was accepted despite being a thief: they were one short.


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* SoWhatDoWeDoNow: As the title says, the great quest happened before the book even started, and the rest is about what happens after the heroes have succeeded and the day is saved. Kalanthe still has to pay her debts, Olsa has trouble finding jobs now that her face is known, Erris is queen now, and Terriam has retired. All of them are struggling with filling the gaps in their life after the excitement, danger, and camaraderie of the quest.
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* HeroOfAnotherStory: Branthear was the leader of the seven companions and the hero of the quest, and was [[AwesomeMomentOfCrowning crowned queen at its end]]. In the book itself, she's a supporting character to Kalanthe and Olsa.
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* TheFagin: The Thief Bosses recruit {{street urchin}}s like Olsa, training them to be thieves in return for protection and receiving most of their earnings for this while they {{work off the debt}}.
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* YourDaysAreNumbered: Edramore has an aneurysm that no magic healing is able to safely cure. As this could rupture to kill him at any time, he's keen to marry again so he's daughters will have a good stepmother if he's dead (their mother, his first wife, is already deceased). Kalanthe, his intended, finds it moving how he considers her such a responsible candidate for becoming his wife. [[spoiler:He dies suddenly in his sleep when Kalanthe's still considering his proposal, with his servants and daughters devastated by this.]]

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* YourDaysAreNumbered: Edramore has an aneurysm that no magic healing is able to safely cure. As this could rupture to kill him at any time, he's keen to marry again so he's daughters will have a good stepmother if he's dead (their mother, his first wife, is already deceased). Kalanthe, his intended, finds it moving how he considers her such a responsible candidate for becoming his wife. [[spoiler:He He's understanding of her [[IncompatibleOrientation being a lesbian]] as well, agreeing they won't have sex either. [[spoiler:Edramore dies suddenly in his sleep when Kalanthe's still considering his proposal, with his servants and daughters devastated by this.]]
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* WizardingSchool: The Mage Keep is an entire city that houses mages, training from novices to masters as they learn over time. Unlike in many examples, this explicitly is like a university, which includes the squabbling academics with different theories about everything.

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* WizardingSchool: The Mage Keep is an entire city that houses mages, training them from novices to masters as they learn over time. Unlike in many examples, this explicitly is like a university, which includes the squabbling academics with different theories about everything.everything they stubbornly refuse to abandon.
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* WholesomeCrossdresser: Olsa likes to dress in male or female clothing. No one who knows about this cares, though apparently other thieves believes she was 'confused' because of it, and tied this into her being bisexual (which she denies).

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* WholesomeCrossdresser: Olsa likes to dress in male or both female clothing. and male clothing, not [[SweetPollyOliver for disguise]] but just due to her whim it seems. No one who knows about this cares, though apparently other thieves believes believed she was 'confused' "confused" because of it, and tied this into her being bisexual (which she denies).
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* TranslatorMicrobes: Translation spells exists which people who don't use the same language use, or to translate documents in unknown languages as well.

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* TranslatorMicrobes: Translation spells exists which people who don't use know the same language use, or to translate documents in unknown languages as well.
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* FamedInStory: Kalanthe, Olsa and the other seven companions are famous in the book, given they're the heroes who banished the evil Old God from the world. They were awarded by the king of their native country Cadrium publicly, which spread their fame, and many ballads about them are mentioned (usually quite romanticized).
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* SupernaturalSensitivity: Sense magic is a different kind from plain magic, with no spell casting, only enhanced sensory abilities. Sir Terriam's eyesight is much better than other people's. Giran can find pages in a book simply by touch (which, as a scholar, is very useful).

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* SupernaturalSensitivity: SuperSenses: Sense magic is a different kind from plain magic, with no spell casting, only enhanced sensory abilities. Sir Terriam's eyesight is much better than other people's. Giran can find pages in a book simply by touch (which, as a scholar, is very useful).
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* StreetUrchin: Olsa has always lived on the street, and she survived through theft.

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* StreetUrchin: Olsa is seventeen and has always lived on the street, and she survived street for many years, surviving through theft.
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* ShrinkingViolet: The younger of Sir Edramore's daughters, Carster, is very shy. After giving her name she hides behind her father on meeting Kalanthe, and can't find her voice to thank her later for what Kalanthe's gotten her (along with her older sister Elenia), only whispering it into her ear. Kalanthe's understanding of this and sympathizes.

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* ShrinkingViolet: The younger of Sir Edramore's daughters, Carster, is very shy. After giving her name she hides behind her father on meeting Kalanthe, and can't find her voice to thank her later for what Kalanthe's gotten her (along with her older sister Elenia), only whispering it into her ear. Kalanthe's understanding of this and sympathizes.gently sympathizes with her.
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* LovePotion: Sir Terriam is asexual, with her becoming enamored with a man only a spell affects her. Kalanthe says it's particularly terrible, as it changes part of her nature involuntarily.

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* LovePotion: Sir Terriam is asexual, with her becoming enamored with a man only when a spell affects compels her. Kalanthe says it's particularly terrible, as it changes part of her nature involuntarily.
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* KeystoneArmy: The Old God's minions collapse once he's banished, because they had been controlled by him.

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* KeystoneArmy: The Old God's minions collapse collapsed once he's he was banished, because they had been since he'd controlled by him.and animated them all.
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* GodOfEvil: The Old God was sadistic, always tormenting his creatures just for the hell of it.

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* GodOfEvil: The Old God was sadistic, always tormenting his creatures just for the hell of it. Later when he's been brought back, he threatens to harm the loved ones of Sir Erris' if she won't worship him.
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* FirstPeriodPanic: Olsa gets hers after training in combat and thinks she was injured. She doesn't realize what her bleeding and cramps are actually caused by. Being sixteen, she's late for menarche, which is a result of malnutrition from living on the street. Prior to being told about it she didn't even know what menstruation was due to her lack of education. She also hadn't developed breasts yet from her being malnourished too.

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* FirstPeriodPanic: Olsa gets hers after training in combat and thinks she was injured. She doesn't realize what her bleeding and cramps are actually caused by. Being sixteen, she's late for menarche, which is a result of suffering malnutrition from living on the street. Prior to being told about it she didn't even know what menstruation was due to her lack of education. She also hadn't developed breasts yet from her being malnourished too.
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* FantasyContraception: Kalanthe provides Olsa with a tea that stops her from menstruating, serving as contraception as a result though the main point is to not have the burden of menstruation when they're on the road and in action.

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* FantasyContraception: Kalanthe provides Olsa with a tea that stops her from menstruating, serving which also doubles as contraception as a result though the main point is to not have the burden of menstruation when they're on the road and in action.
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* Fantasy Contraception: Kalanthe provides Olsa with a tea that stops her from menstruating, serving as contraception as a result though the main point is to not have the burden of menstruation when they're on the road and in action.

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* Fantasy Contraception: FantasyContraception: Kalanthe provides Olsa with a tea that stops her from menstruating, serving as contraception as a result though the main point is to not have the burden of menstruation when they're on the road and in action.

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* TheApprentice: Kalanthe was an apprentice knight when starting on the quest in the past.

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* TheApprentice: Kalanthe was is an apprentice knight when starting on the quest in the past.past and for most of the story. [[spoiler:She's [[{{Knighting}} knighted]] at last in the finale.]]


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* {{Knighting}}: [[spoiler:The king knights Kalanthe as part of the finale.]]

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* TheBigDamnKiss: [[spoiler:Kalanthe and Olsa get back together, after much difficulty, in the book's finale, kissing each other publicly to cheers from onlookers.]]



* MagicFire: Ladros casts blue fire which especially affects creatures who the Old God controls. While fighting a battle later he creates a wall of fire as well, and conjures it to kill the Old God's followers too in the Holy City as they're attacking.



* MagicalWeapon: Kalanthe's hair spike is deadly to anyone but her who touches it because of its magic.
* MagicFire: Ladros casts blue fire which especially affects creatures who the Old God controls. While fighting a battle later he creates a wall of fire as well, and conjures it to kill the Old God's followers too in the Holy City as they're attacking.



* MagicWeapon: Kalanthe's hair spike is deadly to anyone but her who touches it because of its magic.



* PrematurelyGreyHair: Olsa, who's not even twenty, is affected from holding the godsgem through having her black hair turn pure white.

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* PrematurelyGreyHair: PrematurelyGreyHaired: Olsa, who's not even twenty, is affected from holding the godsgem through having her black hair turn pure white.



** The mages cast many different spells to protect the godsgem, but most fail until they tie it into their [[WeatherControl ones for controlling the weather]]. It still kills multiple mages holding the spell in place though, so it's hardly a long-term solution.

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** The mages cast many different spells to protect the godsgem, but most fail until they tie it into their [[WeatherControl [[WeatherManipulation ones for controlling the weather]]. It still kills multiple mages holding the spell in place though, so it's hardly a long-term solution.



* TheyDo: [[spoiler:Kalanthe and Olsa get back together, after much difficulty, in the book's finale, kissing each other publicly to cheers from onlookers.]]



* WeatherControl: The Mage Keep has all its weather controlled by powerful spells. Successful control over them serves as a test of a mage to become a master.

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* WeatherControl: WeatherManipulation: The Mage Keep has all its weather controlled by powerful spells. Successful control over them serves as a test of a mage to become a master.
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[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/the_afterward.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:300:Olsa (bottom, holding a dagger) next to Kalanthe (top, in armor).]]
A year ago, Kalanthe and Olsa were a part of the seven companions, the heroes who retrieved the godsgem and had banished the evil Old God from the world, becoming lovers on the quest. Now, however, the two have drifted apart. Kalanthe intends to marry a man and thus pay her debt off. Olsa had returned to life as a thief, endangering herself when she's arrested. While the narrative alternately shows the present along with the past leading up to this, Kalanthe and Olsa soon cross paths once again.

!Tropes:
* ActionGirl: The book has many female characters skilled in combat and action.
** Branthear, Erris, Terriam and Ulewaya are all knights. Kalanthe is an apprentice knight.
** Olsa is a skilled, nimble thief. The knights trained her too in unarmed combat.
* TheApprentice: Kalanthe was an apprentice knight when starting on the quest in the past.
* TheArchmage: Ladros is well known as the most powerful mage who lives in Cadrium, along with probably the entire world.
* ButNotTooBi: Olsa is bisexual, though she's only attracted to Kalanthe during the book. Her bisexuality is only established by her saying it and once mentioning having had sex with a boy in the past.
* BraidsOfAction:
** The female knights usually wear their hair in one or more braids. Kalanthe also has a hair spike to stop anyone grabbing hers while in battle. It's enchanted to kill anyone but her who touches it too.
** Olsa gets hers put into cornrows when Uleweya notices she's grown her hair out, who's got a similar style (both are black women, judging by their descriptions, and the book cover in Olsa's case).
* CityMouse: Olsa had never been outside of her home city prior to the quest. She finds the countryside all astonishing at first, and lacks any skills useful for making camp as well.
* DemonicPossession: The Old God has demons and humans he controls to attack enemies.
* Fantasy Contraception: Kalanthe provides Olsa with a tea that stops her from menstruating, serving as contraception as a result though the main point is to not have the burden of menstruation when they're on the road and in action.
* FantasyCounterpartCulture: Giran's people seem to be like bedouin Arabs, with their being somewhat nomadic, using camels and head coverings. She always wears a headscarf while in public, with light brown skin and black hair, which are common among Arabs.
* FirstKiss: Kalanthe kissed Olsa in answer to the latter asking who she's attracted by. Neither of them had ever kissed anyone until then.
* FirstPeriodPanic: Olsa gets hers after training in combat and thinks she was injured. She doesn't realize what her bleeding and cramps are actually caused by. Being sixteen, she's late for menarche, which is a result of malnutrition from living on the street. Prior to being told about it she didn't even know what menstruation was due to her lack of education. She also hadn't developed breasts yet from her being malnourished too.
* ForcedSleep: Sir Terriam was put into slumber by a spell on the quest so that a spell causing her an [[LovePotion induced infatuation]] ceased. Mage Ladros later also puts their horses to sleep when the party is in a battle, so they don't get into a panic.
* GodOfEvil: The Old God was sadistic, always tormenting his creatures just for the hell of it.
* HolyCity: The [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Holy City]], which isn't a proper city really anymore, as it's mostly abandoned, but still has altars to the Old God and the new gods. It turns out to be where the godsgem's located, so the seven companions go there for this. Otherwise people largely avoid it due to the Old God's dangerous presence.
* HowWeGotHere: The story begins after the quest has been completed, then intersperses with chapters which show what happened.
* IncompatibleOrientation: Part of the discomfort which Kalanthe has in getting married to a rich man so she can pay her debt off and have heirs is because she's a lesbian, it turns out.
* JustifiedCriminal: Olsa stole originally to survive as a StreetUrchin, and then didn't know anything else. She eventually gives it up after swallowing her pride, dodging death multiple times due to having powerful friends when she's arrested, and so accepts legitimate employment instead.
* KeystoneArmy: The Old God's minions collapse once he's banished, because they had been controlled by him.
* LadyInWaiting: Kalanthe hired Triana, a lady's maid, to dress and make her up for the king's court after she returned from the quest. When she moves to her fiance Sir Edramore's estate, she's assigned to have another, a girl named Ayera.
* LovePotion: Sir Terriam is asexual, with her becoming enamored with a man only a spell affects her. Kalanthe says it's particularly terrible, as it changes part of her nature involuntarily.
* {{Macguffin}}: The godsgem, a jewel that the seven godlings made which could banish the evil Old God from the world. When his followers recalled him, it had to be found for this purpose again by the heroes called the seven companions going on a quest.
* MageTower: The Mage Keep, an entire city which houses mages, includes several towers.
* MagicFire: Ladros casts blue fire which especially affects creatures who the Old God controls. While fighting a battle later he creates a wall of fire as well, and conjures it to kill the Old God's followers too in the Holy City as they're attacking.
* MagicalSociety: The mages in Cadrium have their own governing Council of Mages and city, the Mage Keep, which houses a university-style [[WizardingSchool school for them]].
* MagicKnight: Kalanthe's an apprentice knight who's also learning to do magic.
* MagicPotion: Ladros' magic can only work when suspended in liquid, and it's best when a person willingly drinks any potion he prepares.
* MagicWeapon: Kalanthe's hair spike is deadly to anyone but her who touches it because of its magic.
* TheModestOrgasm: Kalanthe gasps and covers her mouth to stifle even that while Olsa is eating her out in a past scene.
* NeverLearnedToRead: Olsa, being a StreetUrchin, was illiterate until Kalanthe had taught her.
* NiceToTheWaiter: Kalanthe's from a noble family but always treats Olsa, a StreetUrchin thief, with respect and never talks down to her. Olsa is charmed by her kind treatment.
* NoHeroToHisValet: The seven companions are idolized by most people. Olsa, however, is one and does not feel this way, nor does she like being idolized herself. During the quest she'd seen them all naked, and knows the human foibles which they all have.
* NonHeteronormativeSociety: Cadrium's society is wholly accepting of LGBT+ people. Kalanthe and Olsa, two girls, had a romance which they don't find unusual or something to hide at all. Olsa reacts in mild surprise after being told Sir Banathear is a trans woman, after which her perception of her hasn't really changed at all. She also thinks of how she's known several people who were nonbinary or at least crossdressed (which Olsa also did in the second case as well) and doesn't care at all. Kalanthe and the other cisgender female knights whom Banathear fights alongside also fully accept her. Terriam is also asexual, something apparently common among knights, with this also being treated as something that was unremarkable when Kalanthe tells Olsa about it.
* TheOneGuy: Ladros was the only man in the seven companions.
* OnlyKnownByTheirNickname: Carster's actual name is Castriar, but this was used instead since as a girl she called herself when unable to pronounce it.
* ThePardon: Olsa was pardoned for three thefts after the quest had ended due to the help she gave to the king by helping retrieve the godsgem during it, which woke him from magical slumber. When she does this yet again though his mercy runs out, so Olsa's found guilty and sentenced to death. However, she's again spared when Kalanthe speaks for her.
* ParentalAbandonment: Olsa never knew who her father was. Then her mother left as well, and Olsa was taken in by the Thief Bosses.
* PrematurelyGreyHair: Olsa, who's not even twenty, is affected from holding the godsgem through having her black hair turn pure white.
* ProtectiveCharm:
** The mages cast many different spells to protect the godsgem, but most fail until they tie it into their [[WeatherControl ones for controlling the weather]]. It still kills multiple mages holding the spell in place though, so it's hardly a long-term solution.
** Kalanthe also casts spells which keep her safe and concealed when camping on the road.
* QueerEstablishingMoment:
** Kalanthe tells Olsa that Sir Banathear is a trans woman early on. Later she also tells her that Sir Terriam is asexual.
** Kalanthe then tells her she's a lesbian when Olsa asks.
** After they become lovers, Olsa reveals she's actually bisexual, with the term even being used, unusually in fantasy.
* TheQuest: The seven companions went on one to find the godsgem which could banish the evil Old God once again.
* RotatingProtagonist: The chapters alternate between Olsa and Kalanthe's perspectives.
* SealedEvilInACan: The Old God was banished from the world for centuries before his followers at last got him back in. He was banished again after this by the seven companions.
* ShellShockedVeteran: Sir Terriam was the most gravely wounded of the seven companions. Hers were mostly invisible though, as the Old God had attacked her mind, but worse as a result. She suffered from terrifying nightmares about it for a long time, and can no longer stand to live in a city, but has gotten a bit better through living on her country estates outside of cities. Further, she's unable to stand that much light, so Terriam always wears a hood which covers her eyes, whether inside or out. Her wounds had caused her blinding headaches that can now still occur if she's triggered or pushes herself over much.
* ShrinkingViolet: The younger of Sir Edramore's daughters, Carster, is very shy. After giving her name she hides behind her father on meeting Kalanthe, and can't find her voice to thank her later for what Kalanthe's gotten her (along with her older sister Elenia), only whispering it into her ear. Kalanthe's understanding of this and sympathizes.
* SleepsInTheNude: Terriam slept nude, and Olsa did too while traveling when near other people, but otherwise with clothes on, ready to run if necessary.
* SpeakOfTheDevil: People are loathe to speak of the Old God, and do so indirectly, as he's a powerful, evil being who kills his creations for pleasure.
* StreetUrchin: Olsa has always lived on the street, and she survived through theft.
* SupernaturalSensitivity: Sense magic is a different kind from plain magic, with no spell casting, only enhanced sensory abilities. Sir Terriam's eyesight is much better than other people's. Giran can find pages in a book simply by touch (which, as a scholar, is very useful).
* SwitchingPOV: The chapters alternate, showing Olsa and Kalanthe's perspectives.
* TheyDo: [[spoiler:Kalanthe and Olsa get back together, after much difficulty, in the book's finale, kissing each other publicly to cheers from onlookers.]]
* ThievesGuild: The Thief's Court in Cadria controls thieving which occurs there. Four Thief Bosses run the Court, which other thieves answer to. Newcomers are indebted for training, and belong to the Thief Bosses until [[WorkOffTheDebt this is worked off]] (it's implied the debts are high enough this doesn't happen that frequently). Afterward, free thieves still must give the Bosses a cut of any gains though. The free thieves also lack the Bosses' protection, which means if caught they're on their own. Any thief who dared to testify against them when tried would be swiftly killed by the Bosses' order.
* TokenWizard: Landros is the only full magic user in the seven companions, however he also had begun teaching Kalanthe magic too during their quest.
* TranslatorMicrobes: Translation spells exists which people who don't use the same language use, or to translate documents in unknown languages as well.
* UptownGirl: Olsa, a StreetUrchin and thief, became lovers with Kalanthe, a noblewoman who's an apprentice knight. They didn't work out in the past since Kalanthe had to marry someone rich so her debt for knighthood [[WorkOffTheDebt could be paid off]]. [[spoiler:By the end though they're back together for good.]]
* WeatherControl: The Mage Keep has all its weather controlled by powerful spells. Successful control over them serves as a test of a mage to become a master.
* WholesomeCrossdresser: Olsa likes to dress in male or female clothing. No one who knows about this cares, though apparently other thieves believes she was 'confused' because of it, and tied this into her being bisexual (which she denies).
* WizardDuel: Ladros fights and wins against a female mage during a battle the seven companions have. It isn't hard, since he's [[TheArchmage the strongest mage in Cadrium]].
* WizardingSchool: The Mage Keep is an entire city that houses mages, training from novices to masters as they learn over time. Unlike in many examples, this explicitly is like a university, which includes the squabbling academics with different theories about everything.
* WorkOffTheDebt:
** Knights from a poorer background like Kalanthe must pay back the cost of their armor, weapons and horse. All this gets very expensive. This is usually done through marrying someone rich.
** Olsa had to pay back the Thief Bosses for training her by stealing things which they want.
* YourDaysAreNumbered: Edramore has an aneurysm that no magic healing is able to safely cure. As this could rupture to kill him at any time, he's keen to marry again so he's daughters will have a good stepmother if he's dead (their mother, his first wife, is already deceased). Kalanthe, his intended, finds it moving how he considers her such a responsible candidate for becoming his wife. [[spoiler:He dies suddenly in his sleep when Kalanthe's still considering his proposal, with his servants and daughters devastated by this.]]
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