We Hunt the Flame

“People lived because she killed. And if that meant braving the Arz where even the sun was afraid to glimpse, then so be it.”

“People died because he lived. And if that was the only way to carry forward in this life, then so be it.”

These two quotes introduce Zafira and Nasir, respectively. Their parallel structure both highlights the protagonists’ similarities and situates them as foils. On one hand, their motivations are in direct opposition: Zafira kills to feed her village, whereas Nasir kills because he is ordered to. On the other hand, both are sacrificing part of their identities to achieve their goals, and neither is content with the bargain. Despite their conflicting ideologies, their parallel mindsets foreshadow the development of their relationship.

“‘You will always find your way, Zafira bint Iskandar,’ the woman said. She sounded almost sad, though the glint in her eyes was anything but. ‘Lost you should have remained, cursed child.’”

In this quote, the Silver Witch foreshadows Zafira’s role as a compass but frames her magical ability as a “curse.” Her statement creates suspense, while also playing on the prophecy trope often used in works of fantasy. The Silver Witch’s motivations appear ambiguous, but it’s clear she has information that Zafira (and the reader) lacks, which characterizes her as a mysterious, powerful character.

“Do you hear the roar of the lion?

It wasn’t a roar Zafira heard. Something else beckoned from the darkness, enticing her. Growing with her every visit. It was as if a thread of her heart had snagged in the forest and was trying to reel her back in.”

This quote is the first time the narrative mentions Zafira’s connection to darkness—specifically, her connection to the Arz, which foreshadows the motif of darkness’s call. Additionally, the Silver Witch’s question, “Do you hear the roar of the lion?” foreshadows the Lion of the Night’s role as an antagonist. However, at this point in the narrative, it can also be interpreted differently. Lions are often symbolically associated with courage and pride, so the question may also imply Zafira’s struggle to be brave and find her place as a woman.

“An assassin lives an honorable life.

There was a time when a hashashin danced and the wicked perished, merchants rose to power, trades fell to dust. The glint of a blade turned the tides of the world. They had been poets of the kill, once. Honor in their creed.”

In this quote, Nasir reflects on the history of hashashins (assassins). He romanticizes his role to justify his actions in a way that parallels the Sultan’s logical fallacies, which are based on his lack of compassion. However, when Nasir later repeats this ideology to Zafira, she replies that “death is death” (215). This prompts Nasir to revise his stance and distance himself from the Sultan’s (Lion of the Night’s) corrupted morality.

“Salvation is for foolish heroes who will never exist. Help yourself and leave the rest.”

Nasir’s words to his young informant show that he views himself as unredeemable because of his murders, a view which is later countered by Benyamin’s belief that there is good and evil in everyone. This sets up Nasir’s character development, as he will eventually become the hero he claims “will never exist” and help not only himself, but others as well.

“‘Last night I dreamed I was on Sharr.’

Zafira froze at his words. Sharr. What were the odds, hearing the name of that forsaken place twice in one morning? It was an island of evil, a place warned of in the dead of night beneath the flicker of a lantern. A fear just out of reach because it lived beyond the Arz.

It had been a prison fortress before it had stolen the Sisters and magic. Now it was wild and untamed, with oases run rampant, and it reached for Arawiya with the Arz, each tree another sentinel in its army.

‘In the prison it once was?’

Deen shook his head, his gaze distant. ‘I was trapped inside a massive tree. Darkness like smoke. Whispers.’ He grimaced and looked at her. ‘So many whispers, Zafira.’”

In this quote, Deen recounts a dream he had to Zafira before they learn of the upcoming quest. Although phrased ambiguously to create intrigue, the dream foreshadows later parts of the novel. Deen mentions being “trapped in a massive tree,” just as the Six Sisters are; “darkness like smoke” likely refers to the Lion of the Night’s all-consuming power; and the “whispers” are what lead Zafira to the Jawarat. Deen’s dream creates a sense of inevitable tragedy, as if he were already doomed to die on Sharr.

“Zafira would never make the mistake of falling in love.

There was no point to a feeling that fleeted. To a love she would be destined to lose.”

This quote establishes Zafira’s struggle to connect with others for fear of losing them, which echoes Nasir’s own fears (although they manifest differently). Again, the parallel between both characters highlights their similarities and illustrates Zafira’s personal motivation (simply doing what must be done). This parallel also foreshadows Zafira falling in love with Nasir, despite her initial hesitation.

“Dum sihr. Blood magic, punishable by death and forbidden by the Sisters, for it allowed a person to practice magic of their choosing with the price of blood. Without it, the masses were restricted to the one affinity they were born with. But Ghameq was the sultan. He could do as he wished.”

This quote reveals Sultan Ghameq’s use of “evil” magic, which illustrates his moral corruption. The last sentence also shows that he feels entitled to power simply because of his status, a corrupted sociopolitical stance that goes against his role as the Sultan. He abuses moral, political, and magical power to his own benefit.

“Peace unto you, esteemed one.

You have been invited upon a journey of a lifetime. To an isle where nature has no limits and darkness holds all secrets.

Why should you desire to venture to such a place, you ask? Oh, dear one. For the retrieval of magic in the form of an ancient book known as the lost Jawarat.

Glory and splendor. The past once more.

Your quest begins two dawns hence, at the mouth of the Arz.”

This quote is the Silver Witch’s invitation for Zafira to join the Sultan’s quest. The letter’s mysterious, enticing tone creates intrigue, with a playful question (“Why should you desire to venture to such a place, you ask?”) that preemptively counters Zafira’s protestations. Additionally, Zafira is referred to as “esteemed one” and “dear one,” making it clear that the Sultan doesn’t know her true identity (other than her being the Hunter) and making the Silver Witch’s intentions ambiguous.

“Nasir had been a worthy son, once. The sultan was a man he had called Baba once. It was as if something else prowled inside him now, eroding the man Nasir once loved. To see a flicker, a glimmer, a bare hint of appreciation in his father’s eyes—Nasir would do anything.

Even kill without morals. Murder without regret. Become a monster without bounds.”

Nasir’s father, the Sultan, uses the prince’s compassion as a way to insult him, framing it as weakness. As a result, Nasir’s reaction is corrupted: He becomes willing to kill out of love for his father. This foreshadows the significance of Nasir’s relationships later in the story and his eventual reversal of morality.

“Sometimes the most truthful words were merely elaborate lies. And if one was banned from lying, that was all the more reason to learn a new way of stringing words together.”

Although Zafira is thinking about the Silver Witch in this quote, several characters are depicted twisting the truth throughout the novel. Benyamin doesn’t lie but often withholds crucial information; the Lion of the Night states facts but actively uses them to his benefit; the Silver Witch keeps her intentions hidden by phrasing the truth in ambiguous ways. Twisting or omitting truths is a key motif and a significant characterization tool used throughout the story.

“He knew, then, why he favored Altair’s company. Why his gaze sought her. Because neither of them looked at him through a veil of fear that deemed him a monster the way everyone else in Arawiya did.”

In this quote, Nasir realizes what sets his relationships with Altair and Zafira apart from most of his other interactions: They don’t see him as the monster he sees himself as, the identity imposed on him by the Sultan and internalized. This shows that he is beginning to question his moral responsibility and allegiance to people who profit off of his abilities.

“A blood debt.

Nasir released a breath. Kill or be killed.

Save and be saved.”

These dualities (“kill/be killed” and “save/be saved”) work in tandem. Zafira has just saved Nasir’s life, and he realizes they are now bonded by a debt. Although he thinks about the exchange as a transaction, he is starting to realize that simply surviving (“kill or be killed”) can give way to a more compassionate, redeemable approach (“save and be saved”).

“Ever since welcoming the darkness during the attack, she had been feeling…a little less afraid but also a little less whole. As if the space she occupied was now shared with something else. Someone else.”

This quote is the first time Zafira acknowledges the invisible presence of the Lion of the Night in the darkness of Sharr. She doesn’t fully realize his presence yet, but this foreshadows his role as the shadows’ master and one of the masterminds behind the quest (the other being the Silver Witch).

“We hunt the flame, the light in the darkness, the good this world deserves.”

Kifah’s quote echoes the novel’s title, We Hunt the Flame, in explaining the zumra’s duty to the people of Arawiya. This can also be interpreted as a didactic passage, as the message conveyed to the readers (who are encouraged to identify with the titular “we”) is the need to practice compassion, be brave, and do good.

“‘This is your chance for the Hunter and Zafira to become one,’ [Benyamin] said softly. Her cloak weighed heavily in her bag. ‘Meld them. Become yourself. The Huntress.

The girl who freed magic from the darkness and so freed herself.’

The Huntress. She bit her lip.

But the safi did not understand that freedom was sometimes a burden of its own.”

In this quote, Zafira is afraid she won’t be able to assume the Hunter’s identity anymore upon returning home. She is struggling to reconcile the identity that has given her purpose with one that makes her vulnerable and (supposedly) aimless—that of a young woman. This identity crisis is one of Zafira’s main traits (and conflicts) throughout the novel.

“You were never intended to make the journey to Sharr alone, Huntress. The Silver Witch guards her words for reasons you do not understand. We may not trust one another completely, but it is important we carry on as a zumra. It is important to remember that everything and everyone has the capacity for both evil and benevolence.”

In this quote, Benyamin tells Zafira that she needs to work with others (namely, the zumra) to succeed in her mission. He stresses the importance of redemption and forgiveness, which implicitly refers to Zafira’s self-doubt and Nasir’s past. His claim that Zafira was “never intended” to be alone is later echoed by the Silver Witch when she comes to the zumra’s rescue: “Only the lonesome fear the lion” (441). Narratively, this also underlines the inevitability of the story’s climax, which plays on the idea of theater as narrative framing.

“She had reached the destination she always feared she would. And now that she was here, she felt it had been inevitable from the very beginning: She had always been on a steady journey toward finding herself lost.”

At the end of Act 2, Zafira’s self-doubt overwhelms her and she gives in to the darkness that has been calling to her. Zafira’s fear is illustrated by the lyrical paradox that her journey’s destination is “finding herself lost.” This reveals the breakdown of her logic due to her being overwhelmed by her own emotions and the Lion of the Night’s corrupting influence.

“‘Darkness is the absence of light, the mere reason light exists. Without darkness, light would have no confines. Laa, it would be a curse.’ He straightened the cups and pressed a single pomegranate seed to his tongue. His fingers were long, aristocratic, but when she blinked, they looked almost clawed. “Everything that exists does so to repress its opposite.”

The Lion of the Night’s explanation of the balance between light and darkness appears logical and appealing, which highlights his power of persuasion. Zafira is struggling to see through his manipulation, because rather than outright lying, the Lion is simply twisting the truth to serve his own interests.

“What are titles if not names, Zafira?”

Nasir’s question underscores both his and Zafira’s identity crises. While the prince fears that he can only ever be the Prince of Death and cannot be redeemed, Zafira is afraid that she is no one if not the Hunter. Both characters struggle to reconcile their fragmented identities beyond the titles they’ve adopted (Zafira) or internalized (Nasir). Although Nasir’s question is rhetorical, his and Zafira’s character arcs are their respective attempts to answer it.

“A monster couldn’t be free of his master if he never tried.”

Nasir, who’s referred to himself as a monster several times in the story up to this point, is now realizing that he has agency and a moral responsibility. This is the first time he actively attempts to break free of the Sultan’s influence and make a choice to connect with someone else.

“‘The darkness speaks to those who listen,’ Nasir murmured. ‘Those who listen are those who’ve accepted the darkness.’”

Nasir’s parallel statements can be interpreted in two ways. On one hand, the personification of the darkness can refer to the Lion of the Night, whose influence corrupts those who listen to him. On the other hand, Nasir wields a different kind of magical darkness, which he uses to protect those he cares about. This darkness only appears when he feels strong emotions, so the quote may imply that it’s better to listen to one’s emotions rather than suppress them. The duality of this quote highlights Nasir and Zafira’s uncertain fates, as they could either fall prey to the Lion’s darkness or succeed in mastering their own emotions.

“‘You and that pathetic prince will never understand the consequence of loving the useless.’

He was done being called pathetic. He was a hashashin. He was the Prince of Death. He was crown prince to a kingdom waiting for someone to make a stand. And the people this creature threatened were…

Rimaal. They were his companions. Friends. Somewhere along the way, he had grown the attachments he had feared and, for once, he didn’t feel the heat of shame. Love gives purpose.”

The Lion of the Night’s words to Zafira mirror the Sultan’s earlier assumption that Nasir’s compassion is his weakness (see Important Quote #11). Nasir reacts by reclaiming his agency and identity as the Prince of Death. This time, rather than killing to serve the Sultan’s interests, he fights to help his friends because he now realizes that his bonds with the zumra are a strength. Love, which he was afraid would be his undoing, is now his purpose, which illustrates his growth.