Tsarina was ridiculously good at Catan. Like clockwork, she would make the longest road in a couple of turns, usually just five or under.

Niko had learned long ago that defeating Tsarina in Catan was pointless. But Mallomor never seemed to learn.

"How did you get 3 new settlements so fast!"

Tsarina showed Mallo the brick, wool, and wood cards he had given her.

"Oh, right...

Niko, would you like to trade your iron for my wool?"

Seeing as Tsarina had put the robber on Niko's quarry, he accepted the offer.

After a while, Niko laid down to rest, and Mallomor slept beside him. Now was when she could take her true form.

The truth is that Tsarina isn't truly a cat, but a human cursed to take the form of a cat. The magic of the houseboat allowed her to take human form every full moon. But she would turn into a cat if she ever stepped out of the houseboat, which troubled her.

She went to the computer and watched Niko's livestream he made that day. His humor made her forget her plight.

Mallomor awoke, and he had many questions.

"Tsarina! You're a woman?!"

Tsarina was startled and took off her cat ear headphones. "Yes, what of it?"

"Why did Niko never tell me this?"

"It's simple, you never asked."

"Yes, but do you think Niko would tell me these things?"

Tsarina considered it, but then said "Probably not.

Have you seen Niko's streams lately? You always show up in the background."

The stream was of Niko working on a digital painting of a demon crushing a human in its embrace, who he dedicated to "his current boyfriend".

"I keep seeing comments that are asking about the shadow flitting about. I'll have you know that you shouldn't be concerned for me, at least not any more than you already are."

Tsarina and Mallomor both chuckled.

"What's your relationship with Niko?"

Tsarina was firm."If you're thinking we were ever romantically involved, you're wrong.

He found out about my curse, and allowed me to live here with him. I am someone who used to practice magic, but I shapeshifted into a cat too many times and got stuck that way."

"Oh, I'm sorry..."

"Your words are meaningless to me." Her voice came out harsher than she would've liked.

Mallomor tensed and apologized.

"I should probably leave you alone now..."

"Nah, you can stay if you wish."

There was a calm silence between them both, where Mallomor tried to find a topic to talk with her.

"Out of curiosity, what was your previous name?"

"Does it matter? I'm more cat than human at this point."

"Do you like being this way, though?"

"...Not particularly, but I've accepted my fate."

Tsarina wouldn't speak with Mallomor any more after that, and eventually, he walked out to the deck.

Redir was there.

Mallomor jumped. "Why-why are you here?!"

"Did you think that Vivalda would just allow you to become a shedim?"

"Yes, she should! I don't need her anymore!"

Redir looked around. "She will be coming, and she won't be taking 'no' for an answer. This is a warning."

Redir disappeared, leaving Mallomor alone. Tsarina joined him.

"I can't want to see Niko's reaction."