Monsters of the Night

Chapter Seven

"We're going to follow Andrew and Quigley to where they are staying tonight, and see what they've been planning." Jemma told the group that afternoon. 

After following them around, she had heard their plans for the evening, and now that it had been announced that Jemma was in the castle, they had no time to lose. She had quickly briefed the group, with David and Kyle speaking up to come with her and follow Andrew and Quigley. The rest of the Rangers were staying to watch over the rest of the Corps, seeing if there was any other suspicious activity.

That evening, Jemma stepped foot into the Hall with her dinner, where tables had been set up for the Rangers.

As she did so, the Rangers that were already in the Hall started to clap, standing up to greet her. She looked around in confusion, walking slowly to sit down with her family. The group parted like the sea so she could walk through them.

Sitting down, she turned to Halt, "What's this all about?"

Halt shrugged. "I think they are just showing support for the female Rangers."

"They've never done this before." Jemma raised her eyebrows.

"Maybe they want to now." Will supplied. "It might also be because you've managed to stay in hiding for years, with Rangers trying to find you and all."

"Fair enough." Jemma shrugged, quickly tucking into her food. David wrapped an arm around her, squeezing her shoulders for comfort. Some of the younger Rangers walked away, causing the group to chuckle.

"It looks like another reason was that some of the younger ones wanted to flirt with Jemma here." Gilan said.

"Well, it's not happening." Jemma laughed. "It's a good thing they're walking away now."

'Yes." David said, reaching to his belt to touch his knives.

The group laughed before Gilan asked, "What are you doing for your knives, Jemma?"

"Well, I've given my knives to Harold for now, until I can get some new ones for him." Jemma said, then furrowed her eyebrows. "Oh, I should probably have told you, Gilan. I'm taking Harold on as an apprentice. I've already told him, so there's nothing you can say against it."

"What about the formal process? Of informing the Ranger Commandant?" Gilan smiled easily.

Jemma gave him a look. "You trust my judgement, don't you?"

Gilan nodded.

"Then trust me, he'll make a good Ranger."

...

After dinner that evening, Jemma excused herself to go to the bathroom, quickly blending into the shadows outside the Hall. David and Kyle soon joined her, placing themselves in various corners of the room.

Before the other Rangers were due to move out of the Hall, David quickly moved over and gave Jemma a boost, allowing her to grab on to the rafters and pull herself up. He quickly moved back in time for the Rangers to leave.

Jemma soon spotted Andrew and Quigley, and slowly and carefully moved through the rafters until they left the building.

They're being too obvious to be planning anything. Why aren't they being more inconspicious? Jemma thought to herself.

She followed them along one of the paths leading to the drawbridge, where they crossed, leaving towards town.

This is weird. Jemma thought again. They're not even trying to hide themselves.

They made good timing, hurrying along to town, Jemma following close behind them. Studying her surroundings, she could make out David and Kyle around as well. She moved closer to them.

"They're too casual." Jemma breathed to David lowly. "They're not even attempting to hide. I'm not sure whether to be suspicious or not?"

"They didn't eat much at dinner." David replied in turn. "I don't know if that has something to do with it?"

"I don't know." She said, quickly moving away to keep tailing them.

Eventually, in town, the two men went inside a tavern. Before the door shut, Jemma slipped in behind them. She stuck to the shadows, climbing up to settle on the rafters once more. She positioned herself in such a way, so that she could survey the entire room. It was in this way that she saw another Ranger slip into the room.

Jemma tilted her head in confusion. He isn't David or Kyle.

The Ranger strolled up to Andrew and Quigley at the bar, wrapping an arm around each.

"If it isn't my favourite Rangers?" The man laughed.

Andrew and Quigley turned around with wide beams on their faces. 

"George!" The two men grinned. "It's good to see you man! Happy Birthday!"

Jemma tilted her head once more as she listened closer. 

"How was your trip?" Andrew asked George.

"It was good." George nodded. "Took a while, as usual. I got here in the end."

"We've been waiting for ages." Quigley laughed. "We've been planning this for weeks!"

Jemma put her head back and sighed with a smile. She shook her head, amused.  Slowly she moved over the rafters so that Andrew, Quigley and George wouldn't see her, and made her way outside. 

There, she quickly found David and Kyle, then chuckled lowly, beckoning for the two to follow her.

"What happened?" David asked as they followed her back up to the castle.

"My gut feeling was right. They weren't planning anything." Jemma paused. "Well, they were, but it was actually a birthday celebration for their friend, George. George was travelling up from a long way away."

The two men chuckled. "That makes sense."

"A lot more sense then them failing to make a good plot against the newborn Princess, as they were being so suspicious."

Later that evening, as Jemma explained what she had seen to the rest of their group, they looked at each other, puzzled.

"What now?" Will asked. "Any other leads?"

"No." Jemma shook her head. "Nothing yet. But we just have to keep looking. I'm not letting anything happen to Ruth."

The group exchanged glances, nodding determinedly.

"Let's look into some of our other suspects a bit more." Maddie said.