Eri's smile didn't move, but something shifted.
"Nifemi," he said, the name rolling off his tongue like he was tasting it. "You fought Nifemi. And you won."
"That's what I said."
The air changed. Tommy felt it before he understood it — the Aura that had been vast and controlled was now condensing, focusing, sharpening to a point. Eri hadn't moved from his rock. His posture was still relaxed. His hands were still resting on his knees. But the weight in the air was different now.
"My dear cousin," Eri said, his voice soft and almost fond. "One of the direct heirs, the one with the pure bloodline and the one Grandfather dotes on the most." He tilted his head, studying Tommy like a collector examining a piece that had suddenly become far more valuable. "And you defeated her. Without even trying, you said."
