Night Carved Paths Into Silence by Zyrel Ash ` 299
Chapter 299
“This thing you’re afraid of, or rather… this state you’re in, it has
to do with me, right?”
Madeleine’s body went stiff, and her breath caught.
She didn’t want to respond, but Roderick’s gaze seemed to
pinpoint her every reaction, even in the dark.
She struggled internally, and finally, very slowly, almost
imperceptibly, she nodded.
Roderick’s heart sank. Just as he thought.
He continued, his voice steady, but he was pressing her:
“It’s not something happening now, but… something that might
happen in the future?
Or a risk you feel is coming?”
Madeleine’s fingers curled.
He’s too sharp!
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She bit her lip, torn, and finally gave another difficult nod.
“Is this risk… huge?
Maybe even… unbearable?”
Roderick’s voice was still calm, but the arm he had around her
tightened unconsciously.
Madeleine’s eyes stung, and she nodded hard.
More than unbearable…
Roderick was silent for a long moment, as if he was processing
this information, or maybe trying to form a more crucial guess.
His mind raced, connecting Madeleine’s recent strange
behavior, the fear she sometimes showed, and her
oversensitivity to certain things.
Then, he asked a question that made the blood in Madeleine’s
veins run cold:
“This kind of risk… isn’t it a bit beyond normal understanding?
Maybe even… unbelievable?”
He chose his words carefully, trying to get closer to the
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seemingly impossible truth. “Like… it’s not a typical accident or
illness?”
Madeleine froze completely, forgetting even to breathe.
How could he… how could he have guessed in this direction?
!
Her huge reaction was the best answer.
Roderick didn’t even need her to nod; he could feel the
immense shock and fear.
He paused for a long time, so long that Madeleine thought he
had given up.
But he hadn’t. His final words were so low they almost blended
into the night, yet they carried a clarity that cut through the fog:
“You’re afraid to tell me, is it because you’re worried that if I
know, it might trigger this risk?
Or… that it would have some kind of bad effect on me?
Like… some kind of taboo?”
!
!
!
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Madeleine’s mind went blank.
He guessed it!
He guessed almost the entire core of it!
The shock of being seen through so completely and the fear
she had buried for so long seized her in an instant.
She started trembling uncontrollably, like a leaf in the autumn
wind. Tears streamed from her eyes without warning, not from
sadness, but from extreme shock and panic!
She didn’t nod, but her violent reaction and silent tears were the
most definite “yes” he could get.
Roderick finally got the answer he wanted–and the one that
terrified him the most.
He had guessed most of it.
There was an extraordinary risk hanging over them, something like a “taboo” or a “curse,” and she alone knew and feared it,
choosing to stay silent because she was worried it would affect
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him.
The truth was probably even more bizarre and cruel than he
imagined.
Roderick didn’t guess any further.
He pulled the trembling, tear–streaked Madeleine completely
into his arms.
He held her as tightly as he could, as if trying to merge her into
his very bones, using his body heat to drive away the chilling
fear that came from the unknown.
“Okay, okay, no more guessing. Don’t be scared.”
His voice was incredibly hoarse as he repeated it over and over
in her ear.
“Don’t be afraid, Maddie.”
He kissed the top of her head, his tone firm and decisive, with a
calmness that could soothe anything. “Whatever it is, leave it to
me.”
“If the sky falls, I’ll hold it up for you.”
Madeleine sobbed uncontrollably in his arms. The string that
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had been pulled so tight finally snapped. It was panic, but also a
kind of indescribable relief.
In the end, she hadn’t been able to keep the secret, revealing it
in this silent way.
But strangely, amidst the overwhelming fear, a faint glimmer of
hope actually appeared.
Because he said to leave it to him.
Madeleine’s sobs in his arms grew quieter, but her body hadn’t
completely stopped trembling. She curled up dependently, like a
frightened little animal that had finally found its den.
Roderick’s heart ached for her, but he knew he couldn’t stop
here.
He had to use this chance to sketch out the shape of that “risk”
as much as possible.
He needed information, a direction.
He continued in that very slow, low voice, as if organizing his
thoughts, or perhaps soothing her:
“Let me think… something you’d find unbelievable, that you’re
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so afraid of, that it even involves me…”
He paused deliberately, feeling the person in his arms tense up
again instantly, before he slowly spoke the name:
“It has to do with Edward, right?”
Cedella is a passionate storyteller known for her bold romantic and spicy novels that keep readers hooked from the very first chapter. With a flair for crafting emotionally intense plots and unforgettable characters, she blends love, desire, and drama into every story she writes. Cedella’s storytelling style is immersive and addictive—perfect for fans of heated romances and heart-pounding twists.