Ranger's Apprentice, The Royal Ranger #2: The Red Fox Clan by John Flanagan

My name is Maddie, and I've become a fourth-year Ranger's apprentice to Will Treaty. It was unfair when I wasn't given a perfect score on my assessments, but I now realize bad luck is always a possibility. I wish I could travel with Will and Halt as they search for rebels called the Red Fox Clan, but I'm forced to perform my role as a princess. I've been exploring secrets within the castle while also patrolling the nearby abbey. I've heard reports of secret meetings being held there, but I haven't found any evidence yet. My mother wouldn't mind if I became romantically interested in the captain of the castle guard, but the young Skandian named Hal is much more intriguing. With my father gone, along with half the guard, I'm realizing the castle could be vulnerable to attack. The Red Fox Clan wouldn't dare lay siege to this impenetrable fortress, would it?

The first book in this series is The Royal Ranger: A New Beginning, although I read it with the title Ranger's Apprentice #12: The Royal Ranger. I enjoyed the Ranger's Apprentice series, as I watched Will grow, and The Royal Ranger series allows me to experience those feelings once again through Maddie's training. Another unexpected treat in this book is the inclusion of characters from all three of Flanagan's related series. The main conflict in The Red Fox Clan centers on King Duncan's law change that will allow female descendants to rule. Some citizens don't like the new law, especially any male heirs to the thrown. Maddie possesses many Ranger skills, although she favors her sling over the customary longbow. She's forced to conceal her abilities, since her mother will become queen. I appreciate the suspense this creates, since Maddie must perform her Ranger duties while remaining anonymous and her mother doesn't like the idea of her daughter being a Ranger. It's clear Maddie will be the most important character in quelling the uprising, but how will she manage that from the background and alone?