Explanation

"Jeremy? What are you doing here?" Tyler questioned in an almost accusing tone.

"I could ask you the same question, wait a minute, I did!"

"You too know each other?" I alternately looked at Jer and Tyler. Actually...they look quite similar.

"They're brothers" Demi kindly answered my question. "So it was you, Tyler Aarden. You were so disrespectful I thought I was seeing an apparition."

"...it looked like you were role playing with the little girl. Should I address you formally?"

"...leave it."

I don't know what they're talking about but I'm not a little girl! Role playing? What's up with this guy? Jer's brother has a personality problem. Yikes! That face. Demi looks like he's going to punch someone. You can't! That shoulder's not healed; punch him later. As the commentary in my mind continued, my sister spoke up.

"Why don't you guys finish eating first? We'll gather the supplies we need and then meet you at the house, Taya. Is that all right?"

I looked at Demi, who nodded. "Sounds good. See you in a little bit." I waved goodbye to my sister. Jer tried to stop his brother from leaving but he just told him that they'd talk at the house. Dave, Derek and Brandy looked both confused and intrigued. Demi prompted everyone to start eating. We inhaled our food and then made our way back to the house.

"This is where you guys are staying? Wow, you're sure getting the royal treatment." I felt like Brandy's words had thorns. Jer elbowed her in the side.

"So I guess you returned to the dorms then?" I asked.

"No. We're staying at Jer's mansion." Derek replied, sending a judgmental glance at Brandy. I stared at her too. Who's talking to whom about royal treatment? Tch. Brandy's face turned red. At least she has enough sense to be embarrassed.

"Enough about that. Why is my brother here? And who's the redhead?"

"The redhead is my sister, Tali." All four of them looked me up and down. "Step-sister," I clarified. Understanding filled their eyes. I know we don't look alike but she's still my sister. I grew irritated. I'm rather sensitive about this topic. It brought back bad memories.

Eventually Tali and Tyler arrived at the house. They set their luggage down, and realizing there wasn't much furniture, sat on the floor. Demi followed them with his eyes like a calculating predator. Tyler looked uncomfortable but Tali was unbothered. Before I could say anything, Jer stole my thunder.

"Explain." He said, glaring at Tyler.

"Haaa, explain what exactly?"

"Explain what? You just up and disappeared. How about you start there!" The normally composed Jer turns into an angry teen whenever he talks with his brother.

"...I came across some dangerous information and thought it best to leave. Rather than my disappearance, I'm more interested in his highness' presence here. I heard a rumor that you disappeared shortly after heading north, yet here you are, perfectly fine. Well, maybe not perfectly." Tyler smirked. Demi simply stared at him.

I wanted to talk to my sister, but these thoughtless men were having a standoff! Jer was sending accusing glares at Tyler. Tyler was focused on Demi. And everyone else was focused on the three of them. "Enough." I said, wholly unimpressed. "Demi, you go first. Then Tyler." I crossed my arms and waited. Demi gave me a look but conceded.

"...At the start of the pandemic I started wandering around the kingdom."

My sister looked at him incredulously, "Wait, you left your fiefdom in the middle of a pandemic? That's so irresponsible!"

Demi turned to her, clearly unimpressed. "Haaaaaaa, just like people avoid the north, apparently so does the mist. There is no pandemic in my fiefdom. Also very few people know I actually left. The north doesn't welcome strangers. Despite my efforts, they were unwilling to accept me. So instead of wasting my time trying to win over the public, I won over the aides and vassals instead. Then I appointed a 'proxy' to be my face while I handled everything in the background."

"Oh." My sister blushed. "But if you're here, how do you know that's still the case? Perhaps your 'proxy', can't reach you. Correspondence has slowed down here." Though embarrassed, Tali seemed unwilling to relent. Why is everyone so aggressively against Demi? I suddenly understood there were multiple reasons why Demi hid his identity.

"The information guild- I own it."

"Wait, what? You own the information guild and you never told me? I even told you I was looking for my sister; how could you keep that from me?" I exclaimed, smacking him on the arm in a fit. Demi held up his hands in a defensive posture, looking wronged.

"Hold up Taya, I didn't tell you because I didn't want you to get your hopes up! I did ask my subordinates to check it out. Unfortunately your sister hid rather well. I didn't have any more information than what you had already gathered. I only know where she was before she disappeared, not after."

"Disappeared from where?" I looked at Demi, who looked at my sister, who was avoiding eye contact. My face hardened. "Tali, you can tell me or Demi can tell me. Choose."