In his entire life, Nikolai had never experienced such anxiety. He wasn't as anxious as he was now even when she was stabbed by a spear.
She appeared to have disappeared in a stupor as soon as he pointed the book at her face. Her eyes were ablaze with golden light, locked on his face, and slowly... He could see tears starting to form in her hazel-gray eyes.
Fear overcame him.
He couldn't help but question himself. Had she been threatened by Boris? Had she met his mother? Was she in any way hurt?
In a state of increasing worry, he questioned her continuously. She appeared perplexed, tears filling her eyes, eventually turning them bloodshot as if she had been crying for hours. He realized she didn't know about the tears threatening to spill from her eyes until she raised her voice.
.
She was dozing off on the bed, still covered in his cloak, and he was sitting in the chair, staring at her.