Defending herself
Iris looked at the scene in front of her in confusion. But very soon, her confusion turned into worry when she processed everything. A bunch of ruffians cornering the grand duke didn't look favorable well not at least for her because, as soon as the ruffians noticed her presence, some of them started to take a threatening step toward her.
She just took a step back and that was enough to send the bunch into alarm, ''Catch her!" one of the ruffians shouted and that is all it took for all of them to rush towards her. Dangerous-looking men marching toward her with weapons made her panic and that made her stay rooted to her stop. Her anxious gaze reached Cassian and she noticed that unlike her, he appeared eerily calm. And she tightly closed her eyes when she felt a knife approaching her. She expected pain but contrary to that felt nothing.