We Free the Stars
The second book in the Sands of Arawiya duology by the masterful Hafsah Faizal - the follow-up to the smash New York Times bestselling novel We Hunt the Flame.
Darkness surged in his veins. Power bled from her bones.
The battle on Sharr is over. The Arz has fallen. Altair may be captive, but Zafira, Nasir, and Kifah are bound for Sultan's Keep, determined to finish the plan Altair set in motion: restoring the hearts of the Sisters of Old to the minarets of each caliphate, finally bringing magic to all of Arawiya. But they are low on resources and allies alike, and the kingdom teems with fear of the Lion of the Night's return.
As the zumra plots to overthrow Arawiya's darkest threat, Nasir fights to command the magic in his blood. He must learn to hone his power, to wield it against not only the Lion but his father as well, trapped under the Lion's control. Zafira battles a very different darkness festering in her through her bond with the Jawarat - it hums with voices, pushing her to the brink of sanity and to the edge of a chaos she dares not unleash. In spite of everything, Zafira and Nasir find themselves falling into a love they can't stand to lose... But time is running out, and if order is to be restored, drastic sacrifices will have to be made.
Lush and striking, hopeful and devastating, We Free the Stars is the masterful conclusion to the Sands of Arawiya duology by New York Times-bestselling author Hafsah Faizal.
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Hafsah Faizal
Before Hafsah Faizal conjured the rich, mythical landscapes of We Hunt the Flame, she was crafting worlds behind a design screen—literally. A self-taught designer and entrepreneur, Hafsah’s journey to fantasy stardom didn’t begin with a pen in hand, but with pixels and code. Her creative eye and relentless curiosity eventually led her from web design into storytelling, where she found the freedom to build kingdoms instead of websites.
Born in Florida to Sri Lankan parents and raised in a devout Muslim household, Hafsah grew up surrounded by books but rarely saw herself in them. So she did what many powerful creators do—she wrote the stories she longed to read. Her debut duology, the Sands of Arawiya series, is more than just a fantasy saga; it’s a reclamation of voice and visibility. Set in a lush, ancient-inspired world pulsing with danger and desire, the books blend lyrical prose, simmering tension, and morally complex characters—hallmarks of her immersive style.
Sands of Arawiya
Duology.
Sands of Arawiya consists of two books — considered a complete series. The current recommended reading order for the series is provided below.
