Flame for the Fire

At the opening of the sixteenth century, David Kennedy of Carrick expects his future to be shaped by the affairs of his own family and lands. Instead, the striking beauty of his red-haired sister Janet brings the Kennedys to the notice of James IV. David is drawn into the orbit of a gifted, energetic and dangerously romantic king, discovering that royal favour can open the way to influence while placing every private loyalty under public scrutiny.

As David becomes a trusted servant of the crown, Scotland faces renewed pressure from the Tudor monarchy. Henry VIII advances England’s old claim to supremacy over the northern kingdom, while James’s chivalric ambitions and European alliances pull the country towards war. David must balance devotion to his king, responsibility for his kin and a clear-eyed understanding of the risks Scotland is taking. Through his rise, Tranter follows the court and nation towards the crisis of 1513, when loyalty to James IV will demand its highest and most terrible price.