"They think I'm the monster that will get them all killed," Ethan said, his voice low and rough as he stood at the edge of the hidden camp. "Maybe they're right."Flickering torches cast long shadows over the cluster of tents nestled in a rocky ravine. Evelyn stayed close, her hand brushing his arm.A grizzled outcast named Garrick stepped forward first, arms crossed tight. "You bring the beast with you. Malakar's dogs are already sniffing closer because of your kind. Why should we risk our necks for one man and his sister?""Because I'm not just one man anymore," Ethan shot back, meeting the man's hard stare. "I've seen what the Church does. They drain souls to prop up a dead empire. My mother is one of them. Yours could be next."Garrick laughed, bitter and short. "We've all lost people. Doesn't mean we roll over and die for your revenge. Look around. These are survivors. Not soldiers."Evelyn cut in, her voice trembling but fierce. "You think we wanted this? I hunted my own brother