We Hunt the Flame

Nasir is the second protagonist and can be interpreted as Zafira’s foil. Zafira describes him as powerful, with “The hair dusting his forehead as dark as the shadows weaving the island, his skin [a deep olive shade]. A scar slashed the right side of his face, from his forehead to the top of his cheek” (193). Nasir is the crown prince of Arawiya, the son of Sultan Ghameq and his personal hashashin (assassin). At first, the young man doesn’t know that the Sultan is under the evil influence of the Lion of the Night, and is driven by his need for approval: “To see a flicker, a glimmer, a bare hint of appreciation in his father’s eyes—Nasir would do anything. […] Become a monster without bounds” (99).

Nasir’s moral dilemma and self-loathing are central to his character arc. As he bonds with his new friends, Nasir slowly learns to embrace the compassion and vulnerability the Sultan had long taught him to suppress. He grows especially close to Zafira, whom he falls in love with, and Altair, who is later revealed to be his half-brother.

Over the course of the story, Nasir learns he has the power to control darkness and uses it to defend his friends against the Lion of the Night. By accepting love and empathy as strengths rather than weaknesses, Nasir finally breaks free from his father’s influence. This helps him develop meaningful relationships, regain his agency, and reconcile his actions with his morality.

Altair is an important secondary character. Although he often acts as comic relief, he is well-known in Arawiya as the Sultan’s most ruthless general. Zafira describes him as “[larger, fairer, and prettier than Nasir], with the sun-kissed skin of Arawiya and an amused twist to his mouth” (192).

Altair appears friendly but somewhat mysterious throughout the story. Zafira and Nasir often ponder his past and intentions, as he seems to know more than he says and has a network of spies operating in Arawiya. Eventually, Altair is revealed to be Nasir’s safin half-brother, the son of the Sultana and the Lion of the Night. Altair is well-versed in combat and has the magical ability to wield light, the opposite to Nasir’s darkness.

However, Altair is a poor archer, and accidentally kills Deen when he tries to protect him and Zafira from an ifrit. This leads to Zafira’s distrust and hatred of Altair and Nasir when they first approach her, but they eventually grow closer. At the end of the story, Altair is taken prisoner by the Lion of the Night and watches the others flee without him, seemingly leaving him uncertain about their friendship.

Benyamin is another member of what he nicknames the zumra, the group who seeks the lost Jawarat. He is a safin from Alderamin, the wealthiest caliphate. He acts as a mentor to the other members of the group, particularly Zafira. Benyamin traveled to Sharr with Kifah Darwish, an energetic, sarcastic warrior and miragi (illusionist) from the caliphate of Pelusia. Zafira describes him as having “feline grace […] His golden skin shone in the moonlight, too fair to be Pelusian. A tattoo curved around his left eye, the ink a dull gold, nearly bronze” (230-31).

Benyamin is a dreamwalker with the ability to recreate memories. He shows Zafira his home, where people live happily, to inspire her to work with the zumra to bring peace to Arawiya. He’s driven by the belief that “We are all flesh and blood, soul and heart. Capable of malevolence, just as much as benevolence” (281)—which often inspires the others.

Benyamin is later revealed to have had a son, who died after using dum sihr (blood magic); he refuses to use this magic, arguing that “the price is always great” (245). When Zafira disappears, Benyamin reluctantly uses dum sihr to find her, but dies protecting her from the Lion of the Night.

The woman introduced as the Silver Witch is described by Zafira as wearing “a heavy cloak of […] shimmering silver […] Her raised hood barely covered the top of her stark hair, as white as the snow. Her lips were crimson, a curve of blood” (9). Although she is incapable of lying, the Silver Witch twists the truth to conceal her intentions, prompting the zumra to ponder her morality. They’re aware of her desire to find the Jawarat, but can’t tell whether her loyalty lies with herself, the Sultan, or the Lion of the Night—until she reveals her true identity to Nasir.

In reality, the Silver Witch is one of the Six Sisters, Anadil. She was the warden of Sharr, the purest of heart, and the Lion used her to gain power: “She reigned with an iron fist, swayed by nothing, until he seduced her with fabricated love, slowly but surely loosening her hold on good” (439).

The Lion willingly let himself be captured by the Sisters so he could be imprisoned on Sharr with other powerful creatures. He then seduced Anadil and, with her help, laid a trap for her Sisters. After stealing their magic, the Lion’s influence over Sharr slowly spread to Arawiya through the Arz, its dark enchanted forest. Anadil, remorseful, faked her death and fled to Sultan’s Keep. There, she hid under the guise of the Sultana and raised her sons, Altair and Nasir. She saw to Nasir’s training as a hashashin with the ultimate goal of sending him to defeat the Lion once and for all. However, when the Lion found her after he gained control over the Sultan, she faked her death once more. She reappeared under the guise of the Silver Witch, helping Nasir prepare for his quest and giving him a magical compass. At the end of the novel, she returns to Sharr to help the zumra fight the Lion, stating that “only the lonesome fear the lion” (440). She helps them escape and convinces them not to rush to Altair’s aid when they realize he’s missing, but to instead wait for a better opportunity to do so.