"Nina…"
Idir stood rigid, guilt written plainly across his face.
Nina's expression was calm, but there was a weight to it now, a quiet gravity that made his chest tighten.
"Idir, maybe your intentions weren't bad," she said calmly, "but you had no right to take Momo away without asking. You knew about the curse—you could have talked to me, we could have figured out a solution together. Instead, you made the decision for both of us."
Her voice softened, but the disappointment in it cut deeper than anger.
"Did you ever think about how I would feel if I lost him?"
Idir's throat tightened.
"I'm sorry," he said hoarsely. "I shouldn't have taken him without telling you. I… I thought you wouldn't agree. And I was afraid… that if you knew about the curse, you might reject him. So I didn't say anything. That was my fault."
He had always been alone. Acting on his own, deciding on his own. He hadn't thought about how it would affect her. Hadn't thought about her feelings at all.
