A/N: Eyyyy, I told you I'd do it! (Even if it is late at night and I have school tomorrow)
This has to be a new record, shortest time between updates. 4 days! I braved the wild seas (of writer's block) and sailed through the storms (even though we've had no storms recently, just a little drizzle. Also, I'm in the middle of the freakin' Coastal Plains of Texas. Technicalities) to bring you this chapter, so enjoy!
Tobias is the first one to move, gently pulling out of our hug. I suppress the urge to chuckle; he's always been less keen with the idea of physical contact than me, or even many of the Abnegation.
I guess that comes from our childhood. Because touch has brought the both of us more pain than we'd care to admit.
I never knew how much he worried about me. I mean, he told me that he'd had nightmares in the year that we'd been apart, of what Marcus was doing to me, but I didn't know he feared it so much that it was in his fear landscape.
I don't know whether to feel terrible or honored.
"Well, we've had enough bonding time to last us a while." I tease, trying to break the heaviness in the air.
It works. He brings a hand to his heart and pouts in mock-hurt. "Oh, I see. You're tired of me already, aren't you?"
"Of course I am. I spent literally the whole day with you, and not by choice."
"Wow. I didn't know I was so insufferable."
"Haven't I told you that before, multiple times? You really need to start paying attention."
"The amount of attention I pay you is perfectly fine, thank you very much."
"What a way to thank your sister for everything she does."
"Ha, ha. But, seriously." His face sobers instantly, and I can feel my expression doing the same. "Thank you for your... help, in the landscape. I was supposed to be showing you how to get through them properly, but I guess they just overwhelmed me. I know you shared some of my fears, but you got both of us through them calmly." He sends me a half-smile. "You'll do great in the fear simulations, Cam."
My heart warms at his praise. "Thank you."
"One last thing." I look at him curiously. His hand goes to the back of his neck, which he rubs, a nervous tick. "In the last fear, when he was... beating me-" I cringe, and Tobias does too. He clearly has to force these words out. "-I heard your voice calling to me, telling me it was only a simulation. Was that really you, or just my mind?" He watches me curiously, waiting for an answer.
"That was me." My voice is soft. "Watching you like that... it hurt me, a lot. And the simulation froze me in place, away from you, so I couldn't get to you. All I knew was I had to get you out, so I tried that."
I stare into his deep blue eyes as he processes my words. Once he does, he smiles at me, a full smile, not just a half-smile. And it makes my already-warm heart even warmer. "That was probably because you were actually in that fear. Thank you. You're an amazing sister."
"Hey, what did I tell you about my ego?" My teasing tone is back.
"And what did I tell you about it already being too late for you?"
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I stand outside the entrance to the Pit. Already, I see clusters of people, families, gathering. My stomach is churning like a bowl of pancake batter being mixed by Tobias.
It's Visiting Day.
I swallow hard, as memories begin to rush into my brain.
Last year, I wasn't allowed to visit Tobias for Visiting Day, because of his "traitorous choice", in Marcus' words. Marcus didn't come either, probably because he had another punching bag at home.
Last Visiting Day was the worst day I ever endured in that house.
Clearly, Marcus' anger at Tobias' transfer hadn't been fully unleashed in the beatings the days before. But the alcohol helped him with that, immensely.
I block out the memories. If I allow myself to think about it, I will cry, or scream, or break down in another way, and that probably won't help my image with the Dauntless.
Marcus' coming is a big if, though, but the thought does little to calm my roiling stomach. On one hand, he hates the Dauntless. I'd bet that he would never set foot in their compound unless he had to. On the other, he doesn't have anyone else to hit in Abnegation, not anymore. If his desire to hurt someone overpowers his fear of the Dauntless, then...
No. I can't let my thoughts spiral down dark paths so easily.
Eric came to our dorms to give us the "faction before blood" speech before letting us out. I saw the grave looks on most transfers' faces; they really hoped that their families would come, even if they couldn't act close to them.
I'd be over the moon if nobody came to visit me. I see my only family every day.
Unfortunately, I won't be able to see Tobias much today. While he walked me back to the dorms, after going through his fear landscape, we agreed that it would be too obvious that I am special to him, in some way, if we hung out in public all day. And there is too much at risk, for both Tobias and I, for us to afford anything like that getting out.
That was the night before last. Yesterday, our fights resumed. Zayden beat Ethan, and Dante knocked out Lavender. Needless to say, they were both pretty upset about that, but some Dauntless cake (which I got to try for the first time, and loved) helped cheer them up. On the bright side, Julia wiped the floor with Aiden, and I won against Sadie. There was no pleasure in the victory, though, not with Sadie's frightened eyes staring up at me from her place on the floor, where she was pinned by me.
Most of the families in the Pit are Dauntless. I smile as I watch the Dauntless initiates hugging their parents tightly, in a way that they would deny if asked.
They all seem so tough, but they're still just teens, like me, like Tobias. They need a family, a support system, too.
I spot Zayden at the edge of the crowd, scowling at the ground. His family didn't come. I wonder what they would think of him if they did. Would they be disappointed in him, especially if they knew how much of an asshole he has been to the other initiates? Or would they love him unconditionally?
I know I should be grinning in satisfaction that he is alone on this special day, but I can't bring myself to. As horrible as he is, he's human too. And he probably misses his family just as much as any transfer who doesn't see their family among the crowd.
I do see Dante though, being embraced by an average-height woman with long, straight hair, the same dirty blonde color as his. A tall, intimidating man with dark curls, which Dante seems to have inherited, stands to the side.
A stab of envy goes through my heart. He's an awful person, and yet...
I wish I had someone who could wrap their arms around me like his mother is to him.
I turn away from them, scanning the Pit for more familiar faces, or a telltale gray-clothed figure.
"Cammi!" A voice calls. I turn around, and see Ethan approaching me.
"Hey!" I greet him, smiling. But he doesn't return the smile. His expression looks downcast, and my smile drops from my face.
"Your family didn't come either, huh?"
"Nope." I pop the P.
He scans my face. "You don't look upset."
I shrug, trying to exude nonchalance, and pick my words carefully. "Truthfully, I didn't really expect anyone to come. I know that my father hates the Dauntless, and he shouldn't come if he doesn't feel comfortable. It's selfish of me to expect that."
Well, it's not a lie, not really. I don't know what to expect of Marcus.
"Oh." he pauses for a beat. "I'm hoping to meet Lavender's family, or maybe Julia's, if they're here. Want to come?"
"Sure." Maybe meeting my friends' families will help take my mind off Marcus.
He leads me through the Pit, weaving through small clusters of people, until we reach a noticeable group of four people, three dressed in bright red and yellow. Lavender's family.
"Lav!" Ethan's voice sounds considerably lighter as he approaches Lavender. I roll my eyes and smile at them as Lavender turns to greet him, cheeks flushed. Their attraction towards each other is plain to the eye.
"Good morning, you two!" Like always, her voice is cheerful, but she seems even happier than normal. I guess that's expected. She seems to have a loving family who want to see her. "Mom, Dad, Jas, these guys are two of my three transfer friends, Cammi and Ethan."
Her voice is slightly higher when she says Ethan's name, and I can tell that the younger woman notices it too. One eyebrow raises, but the pleasant grin doesn't slip off her face.
"Cammi, Ethan, these are my parents and my older sister, Jasmine. She stayed in Amity."
"It's so nice to meet the both of you." Lavender's mother stretches out her hand to me first, in a traditional Dauntless greeting. I so often forget how considerate the Amity are.
I take her hand and shake it to the best of my ability. "Likewise, ma'am."
She eyes me curiously. "Out of curiosity, which faction did you transfer from?"
I try to swallow the lump in my throat. "Abnegation, ma'am."
She laughs loudly, and it takes me by surprise. "I suspected so. You're far too polite for an Erudite or Candor. You're a good girl, I can tell. Dauntless should be glad to have someone like you."
My cheeks flush from the praise. "Thank you, ma'am."
She waves me off, muttering something about how being called ma'am makes her feel old. I suppress the urge to giggle.
I step away to shake Mr. Campbell's hand, and she moves on to Ethan. "And you, young man. Where did you transfer from?"
I can see sweat beading on Ethan's forehead. Of course this is important for him; he's meeting the parents of the girl he so clearly likes. And he's from Candor, Amity's "enemy" faction. "I transferred from Candor, Mrs..."
She raises an eyebrow at him. "Campbell. Mrs. Campbell. And Candor, you say?"
"Yes, ma'am. I decided that telling the truth all the time just wasn't the life I wanted for myself."
This seems to placate Lavender's mother a bit. "Well, I hope this life is more fulfilling for you, then. It's been wonderful to meet the both of you. I hope you don't mind if we have some time alone with our daughter?"
"Of course not, Mrs. Campbell." Ethan assures her quickly. "Lav, we'll probably be looking for Julia's family if you want to join us later."
"Alright. I'll see you in a bit!"
With that, we move away from them.
Ethan looks almost like he is in a daze. I shove his shoulder gently, and I can't resist teasing him a little. "Ethan, get your head out of the clouds. The meet-and-greet with your crush's parents was great and all, but I'd like my friend back."
He shakes his head quickly, twice, then blushes beet red. "S-She's not my..." He doesn't finish the sentence.
"Stop denying it, Ethan. It's obvious to everyone but you and Lav."
He hesitates. "Fine, I guess you're right. So... you approve?" He sounds nervous as he asks.
I grin at him. He has nothing to be worried about. "Of course! You two would be great together." My smile drops. "If you hurt her, though..."
I step closer to him, and he puts his arms up in surrender. "I would never do that."
I can hear the sincerity in his voice. "And I don't think you would, Ethan. I'm just warning you."
He nods quickly. "Do you know what I should do?"
I smirk at him, amused. "Do you remember who you're speaking to? I don't think I've ever touched anyone, yet alone a boy, in an affectionate way, other than my family."
His cheeks grow redder, if that's possible. "Oh. Right."
"I do have something to say, though."
He perks up. "What?"
"I may have zero experience when it comes to romance, but even I know Lav is an amazing girl. Pretty, spirited, loyal, and so much more. Go get her before someone else does."
He smiles at me, even though it is a bit tense, probably at the thought of someone else dating Lavender. "I'll keep that in mind. Thanks, Cammi."
"No problem." I turn my attention back to the crowded Pit. Soon enough, I spot a cluster of blue-clothed figures.
I squint at them, trying to identify the black-clad initiate next to them, who is partially blocked from my sight by a Dauntless family.
I catch a glimpse of black hair, and know who it is instantly. "Julia!"
She turns and flashes a smile at Ethan and I as we reach them.
"Hey, you guys. This is my aunt and uncle on my dad's side, and my cousin." She points to each person as she reveals her relation to them. "My parents were, uh, busy." Her smile falters a little.
This time, I'm the one to extend my hand to her aunt and uncle. I don't want them to know that I'm Abnegation, so I have to act Dauntless. At least Lavender's family, being Amity, wouldn't judge me to my face, but I believe that the Erudite, or at least most of them, would. And I really, really don't want to punch Julia's family members. "Pleased to meet you, Mr. and Mrs..."
I hesitate. I'm unsure if their last name is the same as Julia's, or different.
"Mr. and Mrs. Kerr." The man answers my unspoken question. "And as our niece said, this is our daughter, Elia."
I nod to them, and look down at Elia. She is hiding behind her mother's legs, some of her frizzy black hair peeking out of both sides. She sticks her head out for a second, and our eyes meet.
She can't be older than nine or ten years old. She looks so similar to Julia, down to the shape of her nose and jaw. I guess that comes from Julia's father's side, then.
I offer her a soft smile before turning back to the conversation with the adults.
"Aunt, Uncle, Elia, this is Ethan and Cammi, two of my new friends in Dauntless."
They both analyze us. I repress a shiver. Their gaze on me feels like I'm being broken apart, studied, and put together again.
Finally, the woman smiles gently. "It's wonderful to meet two of the three friends that Julia has been chattering about ever since we walked into the compound."
Julia flushes. I laugh a little. "Well, we're honored. If anything, we should be bragging about Julia. She's going to make a great Dauntless."
"Yeah." Ethan buts in. "She's won every fight she's had so far, most of them easily."
Julia's face looks like a tomato. "Guys, you've done great, too."
I wave her off. "Not as well as you. I'd be surprised if you don't get the number one transfer spot for the first stage of initiation."
All this time, Julia's aunt and uncle have been watching us, mixed expressions of amusement and pride on their faces. "It's nice to hear that our niece has been doing so well."
"Yeah, she has. We'll leave you to your reunion, then. Come on, Ethan." I tug his arm, and we walk away from the Kerrs and Julia.
We stroll through the Pit together, silent. I catch the eye of Tobias, who is leaning on the Chasm railing, supervising the reuniting families. He smiles at me, and I smile back.
As we near the entrance to the dining hall, Ethan finally breaks the silent spell. "Well, I'm going to go get some Dauntless cake. Want to come?"
I shake my head. Normally, I wouldn't turn down cake, but I feel as though I will throw up if I eat anything. There's always tomorrow. "No thanks. I'm not in the mood. Go eat your cake, Ethan. I'm just going to wander around."
"Okay. See you!" With one last wave, he heads for the dining hall.
I hardly take two steps before another voice calls my name. "Cammi!"
I mentally groan. Can I even get a five-second break?
But my urge to groan vanishes when I turn around. "Rowan!"
The last time I saw any of my Dauntless friends was the night of Capture the Flag. Lavender, Ethan, Julia, and I have seen them sitting at the Dauntless-born table with the other Dauntless-borns (except for the group of four, who sit off to the side of the same table, in their own little group), but they haven't approached to eat with us since the day of the field trip to the fence, for reasons unknown.
He flashes me a brilliant smile. I catch some movement behind him. A group of four people trail behind him, probably his family. "Hey! How's initiation going?"
"It's going alright. Knife-throwing, fights, all that. Where are Juniper, Chloe, and Kian?"
"They're out with their families, probably in their apartments. They'll be back when they're fed up with them, I can guarantee."
"That's relatable." Sort of. I glance behind him, only to see that the four people trailing him have caught up.
Now that they're closer, I can see them a little better. There's a woman, and a man, each of whom are holding the hand of one toddler, who both look nearly identical. "Are these guys your family?"
He turns. "Yeah. This is my mom," He gestures at her, "my dad, and my two little brothers, Denzel and Aziel." He points to each one. As far as I can tell, his two younger brothers look exactly the same, except for the color of the clothes they wear.
"Are they twins?" I ask.
He nods, before turning to his family. "Mom, Dad, this is Cammi, one of my transfer friends."
"It's nice to meet you, Cammi." His mother smiles warmly at me, and I find myself returning it without a thought. She seems so... motherly, even to me, someone who is not her child.
His father's free hand reaches for mine first, and I meet it in the middle with my own. Then, I shake his mother's hand.
"It's nice to meet you, too."
"So, um, did your family come?" Rowan runs a hand through his hair, making it even more tousled than it was before.
I stiffen at the mention of family. His mother clearly notices, because she turns to her eldest son and chastises, "Rowan!"
I manage to relax my body slightly and wave off the apology that's about to spill from Rowan's mouth. "It's fine, ma'am. No, they didn't come. But I'm not too disappointed."
"Oh." His tone is curious and... relieved? But he doesn't pry further. "Would you like to, um, spend some time with my family? If Mom and Dad are okay with it." He turns to his parents.
His mother smiles at him. "Of course, honey." At the pet name, he blushes. I chuckle a little.
"Moooommmm."
"I think it's sweet." I say without thinking.
How many times have I wished that I had someone who would call me pet names like that, so affectionately? The last time anyone (except for my brother, "Cam" and "sis" don't count) called me by an endearment term was before my mother died.
They turn to stare at me. Their gazes are intense and unreadable, Rowan's the most of all. Even Denzel and Aziel, who are probably only two or three, seem to be judging me for that comment.
I can feel the blood rushing to my cheeks, and slowly spreading down my face and neck the longer they look at me. Finally, I gather the courage to ask, "What?"
And, much to my chagrin, his mother bursts out laughing.
Between her gentle laughter, she says to Rowan, "She's a very good friend, Rowan. You better keep her."
Of course, that makes my face even redder.
Rowan's mother finally stops laughing, and addresses me. "Sorry, dearie, I wasn't laughing at you, more at, well, the situation. Now, would you like to join us for some time?"
"Are you guys sure? I mean, I wouldn't want to intrude on your day to-" Rowan interrupts the beginning of my rambling.
"Cammi, it's alright. We'd all love for you to spend some time with us. It's a chance for all of us get to know you better."
I give him and his family a shy smile. "If you're positive... I'm in."
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I run into the Pit, with Denzel squealing in delight from his position on my back. Rowan is right on my heels, carrying Aziel in a similar way. Even though I can't see them, I know that Rowan's parents are trailing us, keeping an eye on us, but are otherwise undisturbed by our antics.
I'm sure that if I looked into a mirror right now, my eyes would be bright, my cheeks flushed from exertion. I probably look happier than I have in a while, and for good reason.
This morning, spent with Rowan's family, has been one of the best experiences of my life.
It turns out, Rowan's family has a tradition of window shopping every Visiting Day, even though this year is the first time they've had a child in initiation. So, we spent hours walking along the paths of the Pit, oohing and aahing at the window displays of shops, and even going in if we saw something particularly interesting.
At one point, we went into a costume shop, and, at Rowan's insistence, I tried on a costume of a fairy, a mythical creature that, according to Rowan, was somewhat common in fairytales. It was fascinating to learn about; after all, I had missed the simple innocence of bedtime stories, being Abnegation.
The costume was a lilac-colored dress that had an airy feel to it, along with a set of wings and shoes. The tea-length skirt had a dipped hem, and was made completely out of sheer fabrics that were soft to the touch, except for the single opaque layer under all the rest. The bodice was a v-neck, and made of the same opaque fabric under the skirt, with creamy white lace lining the edges of the elbow-length sleeves and the neckline. The shoes and were the same shade of white as the lace, with lilac sparkles scattered over them, and they went well with the attention-catching dress.
I wasn't too happy about putting on a dress, especially one so fancy, and I griped about it all the while I was changing. But when I stepped out of the changing room, and looked at myself in the mirror... well, even I couldn't deny that the dress looked good on me.
And the look on Rowan and his parents' faces when I turned to show them made it all worth it.
After window shopping, we went for a quick lunch. I was amazed by how quickly I had forgotten about the Marcus issue at that point, but I guess I shouldn't have been; the past few hours had been full of too much joy.
Denzel and Aziel had taken a nice long nap in their parents' arms while we were window shopping, so they woke up refreshed and very energetic. That resulted in Rowan and I attempting to entertain them, by "racing" through the compound with one twin on each of our backs. We had to duck and dodge and weave around people, but it was the most fun I have had in ages.
We come to a stop at the Chasm, as agreed upon earlier, and I let Denzel down from my back, gently, before turning to Rowan. "We win!"
"Nuh-uh, Aziel and I totally beat you." He argues, and Aziel sticks his tongue out at us, blowing a raspberry. I smile. It's hard not to. I've never had younger siblings, and these guys are adorable.
"Dream on."
Is this what having a loving family is like? Smiles and laughter and flushed cheeks and heavy breathing and jokes and more laughter?
I've caught glimpses of family life with Tobias, but nothing like this. And that's not his fault; one person cannot make up for two or three, no matter how hard they try. And certainly not for two people who have hurt us in unforgivable ways, whether they meant to or not.
I will always cherish the moments I have with Tobias, when we tease each other mercilessly, or end up on the ground in a tickling battle, but these moments, when I'm surrounded by so many people who care and feel somewhat whole for the first time in a long time, they feel priceless, sacred.
Rowan's mother's voice breaks into the conversation. "If you guys would like to continue this argument, it can be done at our apartment. Az and Den need to calm down a little." With those words, Rowan's mom grabs Aziel's hand, while his dad grabs Denzel's.
Wait. Did she just say at their apartment?
I think that was an invitation, but I look at Rowan, cheeks tinted pink, just to confirm.
He reads my face easily. "Don't even ask, Cammi. Of course you can come to our apartment, if you'd like."
I think about it. On one hand, I don't want this day to end. On the other, Rowan's family hasn't exactly gotten much family time, since I've been tagging along all morning.
"No, it's okay, Rowan." I smile at him convincingly. "I'm sure you guys want some family time, with just you guys."
He starts to protest, but, instinctively, I move forward, putting my index finger on his lips to silence him.
His lips are warm on my finger, and soft. But he suddenly stiffens and freezes.
My brain reels with confusion for a second, before I realize what I just did. I can feel my blush returning.
What was I thinking?
I quickly drop my hand and continue. "You can't change my mind. Now, go spend some time with your family, before I make you."
"What are you going to do for the rest of the day?" He stands his ground.
I shrug, hoping that answering the question will get him to leave, so I don't waste anymore of the limited time he has left with his family today. "Find Ethan, Lav, or Julia, probably, or maybe To-Four." Just having a casual conversation with my instructor on Visiting Day shouldn't hurt.
He lifts his eyebrow. "Four?"
I realize my mistake too late. I mentioned my brother in the same sentence as my friends, which implies that he is somewhat important to me. And he shouldn't be, to the general Dauntless public.
My heart beats fast as I try to explain. "He's become a good friend since I started initiation. He's not growly and tough all the time, and he's a good listener when he isn't."
Rowan studies me. I can tell that he's skeptical, even though I'm not technically lying. I found both my brother and my best friend again once I transferred to Dauntless. And he is a good listener, all the time, because he's never "Four" with me.
I can see something in his expression - a tension in his jaw, a narrowness to his eyes that wasn't there before I mentioned my brother. Does Rowan have some sort of bad blood with Four?
But he never seemed edgy around Tobias before, and Tobias complemented his accuracy with guns in Capture the Flag.
Something isn't adding up here, but I'm not in the mood to dwell on it now, not after such a great morning.
"Go, Rowan, be with your family while you can." I finally break the silence that had fallen as Rowan studied me. "I'll find some company. Do you need me to drag you there?"
And the awkward tension is broken. He rolls his eyes and grins cockily. "How will you drag me to my parents' apartment if you don't even know where it is?"
"I'll figure it out. And I don't care how high you are going to rank, Rowan, you will go now or I will make you."
He holds up his hands in defense, backing up several steps in the process. "Alright! Geez, lady, you're even more grumpy than when you put on that fairy costume."
I ignore the "lady" part and raise an eyebrow at him. "Which you insisted I put on."
"Which you could have denied."
It's my turn to roll my eyes. "And listen to you ask me to for another hour? No thanks. Now, GO!"
"Yes, ma'am!" And he disappears before I can comment on the term.
I scowl at his back for a second. As seconds pass, it slowly morphs into a smile.
I had a lot of fun today. With Rowan. And his family.
I turn around, intent on finding either my friends or my brother, to spend time with them, but I freeze when my eyes land on a man, talking to one of the Dauntless. It's a familiar figure. One that I hoped I would never see again.
Tall. Slim. Hair cut close to his scalp.
Gray robes.
As though he can feel my eyes boring into him, he turns around, and his dark blue eyes, the same color as Tobias', but definitely not similar in any other way, meet mine.
My heart pounds, seeming to slam into my ribs with every beat. The air suddenly feels like all the oxygen has been sucked out of it. My limbs have turned into jelly. It's a miracle I'm still standing.
He takes a step closer.
My breathing is getting heavier. It feels as though all my Dauntless training has flown out the window - I can't imagine running, yet alone fighting.
I can't think through the haze that seems to have overtaken my brain. All my senses are on overdrive as the one person, the one person who makes my stomach churn, my body tremble, whose name makes my brain scream danger! approaches.
Marcus.
A/N: I'm positively evil.
I probably won't be able to get another chapter done for a while (because of school starting again, wish me luck with that!), and I leave you all hanging just as she sees Marcus in Dauntless. Yes, I'm mean. Sorry, not sorry.
Some little things. Yes, I made Elia Julia's cousin. Her character was hardly mentioned in the second book, but I was curious; under what circumstances did Elia, a girl that was just 10 or 11, end up with a group of Erudite traitors, in Amity, without parents in sight? So I made her Julia's cousin, so I would have an excuse to make up a story for her and develop her character. She has black hair, too, which Julia also has (no, adding Elia was not planned all along, so the resemblance was coincidental), which works out great.
Little shout out: Jasmine, Lavender's sister, was named after a flower, like Lavender, but also a friend of mine. Jasmine, you'll probably never read this, but you're a great friend, and I don't deserve you.
Today in Book Time, I present to you...
The Canyon's Edge! (By Dusti Bowling)
I'm actually positive that this book got on the Texas Bluebonnet List, the 2021-2022 one, to be exact. It isn't action-packed like the other books have been, (no beating up bad guys, sorry) but it is a touching realistic fiction novel about survival, tragedy, and healing.
I'm actually not going to put a summary anymore, because the author's page usually takes you to the official summary anyway, so there is no point rephrasing it and putting it here when the real thing is one click away. Sorry if you liked it, I'm just trying not to waste my time.
Link to the author's page: https://www.dustibowling.com/the-canyon-s-edge
As far as I am aware, this book has no sequels.
Come back next time for... rankings! And Marcus vs Camilla, too, if you're worried about that, you know, the main highlight of the next chapter.
Have a wonderful morning/afternoon/evening/night!