Bewitched Chapter 18: Magical Affinities and Dark Suspicions

⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.

Summary

While the chapter opens on the news of another witch’s murder, Selene struggles to concentrate in her Intro to Magic class. The gory scene she witnessed – laced with oppressive dark magic – torments her, and she begins to suspect Memnon could be responsible given their tense encounter the previous evening. To distract herself, she focuses on Professor Huang’s practical exercise: a blind affinity test in which students pick objects that resonate with their magic. Selene selects water, soil, a river rock, a five-thousand-year-old Vinča cup, and moon dust – an unusual combination her instructor notes. Disappointed that her magic shuns life-giving symbols like bread or herbs, Selene later realizes that flesh, blood, and bone could also fuel life-giving magic, but those materials are forbidden. She is left questioning whether her power secretly craves something darker – something that bleeds.

Key Events

The campus learns of another witch’s murder, raising Selene’s anxiety.
Selene suspects Memnon might have committed the killing due to his anger and volatile power.
Professor Huang conducts a blind magical affinity test.
Selene, with eyes closed, is drawn to water, soil, a river rock, a Vinča cup, and moon dust.
Professor Huang interprets these items as signs of potion-making potential and lunar sensitivity.
Selene feels disappointment that her magic does not favor typical life-giving objects.
She later contemplates that blood and flesh are missing from the test and could be true life-giving sources.
Selene acknowledges that blood magic is forbidden, hinting at a possible dark attraction.

Character Development

Selene’s internal conflict deepens in this chapter. Her suspicion of Memnon shows that she is wrestling with trust and fear after witnessing his raw power. Her reaction to the affinity test reveals her insecurity about her own identity; she wants her magic to be warm and life-affirming, but the items she chose suggest a connection to ancient, earthbound, and potentially taboo forces. The realization about blood magic forces her to confront the possibility that her powers lean toward the forbidden. This chapter marks a turning point where she begins to question not only others but herself.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Dark Magic and Corruption: The chapter opens with the lingering presence of dark magic at the crime scene, described as oily and terror-steeped, raising the stakes for Selene’s world.
Identity and Self-Discovery: The affinity test serves as a literal and symbolic exploration of Selene’s magical nature, forcing her to confront what her power is drawn to versus what she wishes it would be.
Forbidden Knowledge: The omission of flesh, blood, and bone from the test – coupled with the explicit ban on blood magic – teases a boundary that Selene may be tempted to cross.
Life and Death: The contrast between green, life-giving items and the raw materials of soil, stone, and moon dust underscores the dual nature of Selene’s magic: rooted in the earth and in death.

Why This Chapter Matters

Chapter 18 advances the serial-killer plot by linking Selene’s personal suspicions to the overall threat. It also deepens magical world-building by introducing the affinity test and hinting at a more complex magic system involving lunar phases and ancient artifacts. Most significantly, it forces Selene to begin acknowledging her own potential for darkness – a theme that will likely resonate through the rest of the novel. The ambiguous ending leaves readers questioning whether Selene’s magic is innocent or dangerous.

Study Questions and Answers

What does Selene’s choice of the Vinča cup suggest about her magic?
The Vinča cup is a five-thousand-year-old clay pot carrying some of the first known writing. Its selection indicates that Selene’s magic has a strong affinity for ancient, archival, and possibly memory-related power – consistent with her known magical gift for manipulating memories.
Why is Selene disappointed by the objects she selects during the test?
She had hoped to gravitate toward life-giving items like bread or herbs, which symbolize nurturing, medicinal magic. Instead, she chose soil, rock, and vintage items that feel “cold and lifeless” to her, deepening her fear that her magic is not as benevolent as she wants it to be.
How does the forbidden nature of blood magic influence Selene’s final thoughts in the chapter?
After noting that flesh, blood, and bone could be potent life-giving materials but are banned, Selene realizes that her power might secretly hunger for those substances. This internal acknowledgment sets up a looming conflict between her desire to be good and the pull of darker magical sources.