Gisele Stein

Nothing embodies rampant chaos quite like a tiger raised in captivity, tasting freedom for the first time in the wild. Devoid of any hunting skills or necessary caution, the tiger becomes a paradox of aggression and naïveté. It is as unaware of the threats lurking as it is untouched by the rules of the jungle, and so its actions become both unpredictable and fraught with peril. The tiger, driven by a blinding hunger, confronts the wilderness with dangerous and unguarded fervour.

The moment her gilded cage is opened, Sofia bursts forth with a feral abandon that knows no bounds.

That night, in her lavish bedroom suite, the plush chaise longue is strewn with discarded silk robes and lace negligees as she reclines amid rumpled satin sheets. Ornate tapestries and a giant canopy bed lend an air of opulence to the boudoir. The air is heavy with the scent of jasmine from a flower bouquet on her vanity, mingling with the smoke of freshly lit incense sticks.

Smartphone in hand, she taps out a new Instagram handle – ‘mypinkcauldron’ – and opens the camera. A teasing smile plays across her lips as she sets the ambiance with a tap of her fingers, bathing the room in a sultry pink light.

(…)

Pippa enters the bedroom without so much as a courtesy knock.

It has taken less than two months for the boundaries between personal assistant and… well, whatever Sofia is, to dissipate entirely. She carries a silver tray laden with Sofia’s usual morning indulgences – a ruby red grapefruit half, fresh-squeezed orange juice, buttered toast soldiers, and a coffee grande noir that dwarfs any mortal mug. Five weeks have elapsed since the fateful movie premiere that kicked off Sofia’s meteoric rise to fame, and she has kept busy since.

“You’re The Sun’s cover girl this fine morning,” Pippa announces, placing the tray on the nightstand together with the fresh newspaper. “There are three photographers lurking in the hedges, so do try to avoid flashing them from the windows again, please? Oh, and Rihanna left you a DM. She wants to ‘hang’ the next time she’s in London.”

And that’s just the least of it: in a mere month, Sofia has amassed over a million Instagram followers, become a permanent presence in the gossip pages, and cultivated an entourage of powerful, young witches all clamouring for her approval – including Celeste Devereaux of the venerable Devereaux coven, clairvoyant darling Minnie Allen, and former child prodigy Saskia Antonov.

“Amy…” comes Sofia’s muffled groan from beneath the sheets.

Pippa rolls her eyes. “My name is Pippa, not Amy.”

“Play… Amy…”

With a put-upon sigh, Pippa thumbs the stereo, filling the boudoir with the opening strains of Amy Winehouse’s “Help Yourself.” Another morning ritual.

(…)