Even in Darkness She Chose to Rise (Tatiana and Jasper) novel Chapter 262

**TITLE: Even the Night Couldn’t Silence Her Light**
**Chapter 262: Identity Exposed**

The figure in the crimson robe glided past them, his presence commanding and ominous. One by one, he halted before each individual, his ears attuned to the peculiar cadence of their utterances.

This was their sacred dialect.

It was the solemn vow each member was bound to recite.

As the bizarre oaths echoed in the air, Tatiana felt her anxiety spiral, her nerves stretched taut like a bowstring ready to snap. A chilling bead of sweat trickled down her spine, a testament to her mounting dread.

What should I do?

They’re going to find me out!

She concentrated fiercely, her mind racing to capture the strange words, silently rehearsing them over and over.

To her dismay, she soon realized that each person’s “oath” was unique.

Their pronunciations varied wildly!

“Next.”

A heavy silence filled the room.

“Hmmm?”

Still, no one answered.

The red-robed man lifted his gaze slowly, a smile creeping beneath his mask. “Found you.”

In a moment of desperation, Tatiana muttered something in her native tongue, hoping to divert his attention.

The man instinctively leaned closer, straining to catch her words. Seizing the opportunity, she drew her gun with a swift motion. But before she could even aim, a powerful hand struck it from her grasp, sending it clattering to the ground.

A muffled grunt of pain escaped her lips.

The weapon skidded across the floor, only to be kicked away by one of the men clad in black.

Her only means of defense was now gone.

The red-robed man chuckled darkly. “Interesting. You still wish to resist?”

She held her wrist tightly, paralyzed by the realization of her situation. She was completely surrounded. A single command, and her life would be extinguished in an instant.

With deliberate slowness, the red-robed man stepped forward, yanking off her mask to reveal her strikingly beautiful face.

Gasps of astonishment rippled through the crowd of cultists, their eyes wide with disbelief.

Even the red-robed man momentarily faltered, astonishment flickering across his features before anger took its place, though he concealed it expertly.

“So it’s you.”

Tatiana’s heart raced. He knows who I am?

And he spoke the local language with such flawless precision!

“I threw you onto the third level, yet you managed to claw your way back up. Did Caitlyn assist you?”

“Who are you?”

“Who am I? Ah, yes. He probably never deemed it necessary to mention my existence.”

“Do we know each other?”

“Of course not.”

Her fists tightened, a surge of defiance igniting within her. “Then why would you do this to me?”

Before he could respond, a black-robed man rushed over, whispering something urgently.

Though she couldn’t decipher the words, the shift in the red-robed man’s demeanor was palpable. His fury radiated like heat from a fire, a palpable menace that filled the air.

He turned his piercing gaze on her, eyes narrowing like a predator locking onto its prey.

At the center of this formidable group stood a man holding a black umbrella, his presence commanding.

The red-robed man ripped off his hood, revealing a mane of silver hair that glinted ominously. His amber eyes locked onto the newcomer as he roared, “How dare you!”

Jasper uttered a single phrase: “The ice will melt.”

The red-robed man—Avery—turned an even paler shade, his expression twisting in horror. Without another word, he turned on his heel and fled.

Jasper didn’t attempt to stop him.

The two men brushed past each other, one racing back into the shadows of the past, the other stepping boldly into the light of the present.

Tatiana stood frozen, her gaze fixed on the man who had come to rescue her, disbelief flooding her senses. A name slipped from her lips, barely a whisper: “Jasper…”

She could hardly fathom that it was him.

To seize control of the entire underground city with such swiftness, Jasper had been forced to cast aside his “Yasper” persona.

This meant he had to reveal his true identity, a risk he had no choice but to take.

He approached her, holding the black umbrella overhead, shielding them from the relentless downpour.

Taking a deep breath, she attempted to feign ignorance. “Why are you here?”

Jasper remained silent, his eyes filled with an unspoken sorrow. “I’m sorry.”

What do you mean? You…

In an instant, all the details she had previously overlooked fell into place like pieces of a puzzle. An astonishing realization dawned on her.

Her voice quivered, “You… you’re Yasper?”

His silence spoke volumes.

“That man… that red-robed lunatic. You know him.”