If the person speaking thought to insult her, they would be disappointed. Perhaps if she were a native to this world, the words would have stung more. She'd been called worse at home. It was almost risible. The reaction of the crowd, anything but.

Shouting and shaking of angry fists, even of shaking weapons at them, didn't make Evie flinch. The rocks, thankfully, flew wide. Warnings. Not to run, but of what was to come. Evie shifted her stance, and her stronger hand dropped to the short sword on her belt. Before she could draw, Guts had thrown something at one of the landens. The bang of the misfiring gun - breaker, her brain irrationally reminded her - caused her to flinch. And in that moment, chaos erupted around them.

Conflicting instincts screamed at her. Part of her wanted to disappear in the crowd, use the chaos to get herself to safety. The other part wanted to help the innocent people get away from those who were about to attack. The best way to do that, though, was to meet their attackers head on, give them a target to focus on, so they wouldn't go after any of their own in their zeal.

One of the landen men rushed her in her moment of indecision, and Evie grunted as he plowed into her, but braced to take the impact on instinct. A moment later, once they'd skidded to a stop and she had her footing, she brought her knee up hard, raking her nails at his face at the same time. She was glad she'd thought to wear her original blue/black leather dress and leggings, rather than something from the city shops. The sturdier material was keeping her marginally more protected.

As the man recoiled, Evie ducked out of his way and glanced up toward Guts, and toward the next attacker.