We Hunt the flames

Annirood: Thanks for putting up with my mumbling and endless questions. To
Molly Ellis: Your lengthy emails will always be a bright spot of this journey. To
Melissa Zar and Jordin Streeter in marketing: It’s because of you two that I had
to sign my name so many times, and I’ll forever be grateful for that and all else.
To Hayley Jozwiak, for reading over my words a hundred thousand times. A
much-needed thank-you to Elizabeth Clark, for putting up with the designer in
me—and I don’t say that lightly.

Special thanks to Joy Peskin, Jen Besser, Jon Yaged, Allison Verost, Katie
Halata, Mary Van Akin, Kathryn Little, Tom Mis, and Gaby Salpeter. To
Melissa Sarver White at Folio Lit, for taking We Hunt the Flame abroad. To
Virginia Allyn, for the gorgeous map, and Erin Fitzsimmons, for the typography.
To Simón Prades, for the amazing cover. To Jenny Bent for your never-ending
support and love, and agent extraordinaires Molly O’Neill and Suzie Townsend.
To Sharon Biggs Waller and Leigh Bardugo, for empowering me from the very
beginning, and V. E. Schwab for answering my many questions about how to get
published. To Stephanie Garber, Lee Kelly, and Rachel Bellavia, for steering me
in the right direction during my querying days, and Jessica Khoury, Ron Smith,
Margaret Rogerson, Beth Revis, Evelyn Skye, Sabaa Tahir, Robin LaFevers, and
Roshani Chokshi, for the love and support.

To Kerri Maniscalco, for teaching me how to appreciate every moment in the
crazy world of publishing. To Katie Bucklein, soul twin and fierce fighter.
Thank you for always having my back. To Joanna Hathaway, dearest friend and
loving soul who keeps me going. Britta Gigliotti, principessa and the other half
of this old couple. To Marieke Nijkamp, generous heart and mentor, thank you
for being one of my earliest readers. To Joan He, partner in crime, agent sister,
and debut friend. I heart you, goat friend. To Jessica Brooks, who kept a list and
believed in me. To Beth Phelan and the #DVpit squad, you guys rock. To
Brittany Holloway, my favorite mega fan. To the amazing fans with dedicated
accounts supporting the world of Arawiya. To Lisa Austin, Kalyn Josephson,
Jenna DeTrapani, Ksenia Winnicki, Heather Kassner, Mary Hinson, Sara
Gundell, Korrina Ede, Noverantale, Ashelynn Hetland, Amanda Foody, and
Michael Waters: Thank you, thank you, thank you.

To Amy Georgopoulos and Jenny Ethington, the librarians who were my
pathway to the world of publishing. Thank you for helping teen-me out of her
shell and for introducing her to the magic of book blogging.

To Catherine Gnoffo, mentor and friend, gone too soon. To my grandfather,

whom I miss every day, who pressed crisp dollar bills into my palms so I could
buy that new Harry Potter book at the fair. I wish you were both here to hold this
book in your hands.

And last but not least: My deepest gratitude goes to you, dear reader. For
picking up this book, devouring my words, and supporting a dream. None of this
would have been possible without you. Thank you for being a part of Zafira’s
journey, Nasir’s quest, and my adventure. Shukrun.

ADVANCE PRAISE FOR

We Hunt the Flame

“Beautiful storytelling, mesmerizing settings, and fiery characters— We Hunt the Flame is danger, magic,
and hope all wrapped into one, and it is intoxicating.”

—EVELYN SKYE,

New York Times–bestselling author of the Crown’s Game series

“Hafsah Faizal’s voice is not one that simply speaks but sings across the page. We Hunt the Flame is a
spellbinding tale filled with deception, political intrigue, and atmosphere that lives and breathes. I am

obsessed with this story.”

—KERRI MANISCALCO,

#1 New York Times–bestselling author of the Stalking Jack the Ripper series

“Fresh, bold storytelling populated with vibrant characters marks Hafsah Faizal as an explosive new voice
in fantasy. Charged with adrenaline and romance, We Hunt the Flame held me enthralled and desperate for

more!”

—JESSICA KHOURY,

author of the Corpus trilogy and The Forbidden Wish

“I adore Hafsah’s writing; she has such a beautiful way with words.”

—BETH REVIS,

New York Times–bestselling author of A World Without You

“With bold prose, Faizal stitches together darkly intriguing magic, a rich cast of characters (including, of
course, our favorite kind of self-loathing prince), and a refreshingly nonexoticized Arabian-inspired
setting.”

—ALLISON SENECAL,

bookseller at Old Firehouse Books

“In this thrilling new addition to the fantasy genre, Arabian mythology mixes with action, humor, romance,
and identity as a diverse cast of characters quests to save not only their home but also themselves. From
freezing snow to burning sand, Faizal draws readers in with sumptuous writing. Magic and mystery keep
the pages turning until the very end.”

—MADELINE DORMAN,

bookseller at Blue Willow Bookshop

“Classic fantasy elements get a fresh take in this expertly crafted, Arabian-inspired world that is dark,

romantic, and entirely enchanting. With complex characters that tug on your heartstrings and a story that is
lush in both its beauty and prose, Hafsah Faizal’s We Hunt the Flame is not to be missed!”

—KATIE STUTZ,

bookseller at Anderson’s Bookshop

“We Hunt the Flame is a lush and vibrant epic fantasy immersed in ancient Arabian culture that will leave
you wanting more. Perfect for fans of Roshani Chokshi and Renée Ahdieh.”

—MELISSA LEE,

bookseller at Blue Bunny Books

“In her incredible debut, Hafsah Faizal has crafted a whirlwind Arabian-inspired fantasy, filled with heart-
stopping twists; powerful friendships; a steamy, well-developed romance; and lyrical prose that left me

breathless. Fans of The City of Brass or Children of Blood and Bone will devour this tale that left me with
my jaw on the floor, distressed that the story was over.”

—SHAUNA SINYARD,

bookseller at Park Road Books

“Hafsah Faizal’s We Hunt the Flame is a gorgeously written, exquisitely built world that you will want to
stay in forever. Nasir and Zafira are epic protagonists, and the entwining of their stories results in one of the

most stunning pieces of YA fantasy literature.”

—RACHEL STROLLE,

librarian at Glenside Public Library District

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Hafsah Faizal is an American Muslim and brand designer. She’s the founder of IceyDesigns, where she
creates websites for authors and beauteous goodies for everyone else. When she’s not writing, she can be
found dreaming up her next design, deciding between Assassin’s Creed and Skyrim, or traversing the
world. Born in Florida and raised in California, she now resides in Texas with her family and a library of
books waiting to be devoured. WE HUNT THE FLAME is her first novel. You can sign up for email
updates here.

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CONTENTS

Title Page
Copyright Notice

Dedication
Epigraph

Map

Act I. Silver as A Crescent Moon

Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15

Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22

Act II. A Long Way from Home

Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48

Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Chapter 51
Chapter 52
Chapter 53
Chapter 54
Chapter 55
Chapter 56
Chapter 57
Chapter 58
Chapter 59
Chapter 60
Chapter 61
Chapter 62
Chapter 63

Act III. The Lies We Eat

Chapter 64
Chapter 65
Chapter 66
Chapter 67
Chapter 68
Chapter 69
Chapter 70
Chapter 71
Chapter 72
Chapter 73
Chapter 74
Chapter 75
Chapter 76
Chapter 77
Chapter 78
Chapter 79
Chapter 80
Chapter 81

Chapter 82
Chapter 83
Chapter 84
Chapter 85
Chapter 86
Chapter 87
Chapter 88
Chapter 89
Chapter 90
Chapter 91

Epilogue
Acknowledgments
Advance Praise for We Hunt the Flame
About the Author

Copyright

Farrar Straus Giroux Books for Young Readers
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York 10010

Text copyright © 2019 Hafsah Faizal

All rights reserved
First hardcover edition, 2019

eBook edition, May 2019

fiercereads.com

The Library of Congress has cataloged the print edition as follows:

Names: Faizal, Hafsah, author.
Title: We hunt the flame / Hafsah Faizal.
Description: First edition. | New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2019.| Summary: In a world inspired by ancient Arabia, seventeen-
year-old huntress Zafira must disguise herself as a man to seek a lost artifact that could return magic to her cursed world.
Identifiers: LCCN 2018035775 | ISBN 9780374311544 (hardcover)
Subjects: CYAC: Fantasy. | Magic—Fiction. | Blessing and cursing—Fiction. | Impersonation—Fiction. | Middle East—Fiction.
Classification: LCC PZ7.1.F347 We 2019 | DDC [Fic]—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018035775

Our eBooks may be purchased in bulk for promotional, educational, or business use. Please contact the Macmillan Corporate and
Premium Sales Department at (800) 221-7945 ext. 5442 or by email at [email protected].

eISBN 9780374311568