Bewitched Chapter 23: Selene’s Near-Miss with Kane and Memnon’s Claim

⚠️ 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

Selene attends a coven party with her friend Sybil and spends the evening dancing and drinking with Kane, a lycanthrope she has long liked. The charged atmosphere of magic and alcohol fuels a physical attraction that leads to heavy kissing. Kane carries Selene off the dance floor and they move toward her residence hall, with Kane showing her a boundary stone that marks the line between coven and pack lands. Once inside her room, Selene confesses that her magic consumes her memories—she may forget their night together. Kane accepts this and they begin to undress, but Selene senses Memnon’s indigo magic stirring her desire. She realizes the sorcerer has been manipulating her arousal all evening. When she tries to send Kane away, Memnon crashes through her window, hurls Kane out, and carries Selene into the forest. There Memnon cuts his own hair and insists Selene is his wife, Roxilana, his mate bound by vows made two millennia ago. Despite Selene’s denials, Memnon kisses her; she briefly succumbs to the overwhelming magic before shoving him away and reiterating she is not who he believes.

Key Events

Selene and Kane dance and kiss at the party; the magic and alcohol create a near-frenzied atmosphere.
Kane carries Selene off the dance floor and they leave the party together.
Kane shows Selene a standing stone that marks the boundary between coven and lycanthrope lands.
In her room, Selene reveals that using magic erases her memories; she may forget tonight.
As they begin to be intimate, Selene notices Memnon’s indigo magic coating her skin, realizing he has been amplifying her desire.
Memnon breaks through Selene’s window, attacks Kane, and throws him to the ground below.
Memnon carries Selene into the woods, insisting she is his mate and the reincarnation of his wife Roxilana.
Memnon cuts his own hair, kisses Selene, and she momentarily responds before pushing him away.
Selene vehemently denies being Roxilana; Memnon argues that his magic recognizes hers and that their souls are bound.

Character Development

Selene: Her internal conflict sharpens—she is genuinely attracted to Kane yet drawn to the sorcerer she fears. Her confession about memory loss shows vulnerability and a desire for honesty. The kiss with Memnon reveals that her body and magic remember even when her mind does not.
Kane: Demonstrates patience and understanding when Selene tells him about her memory issues. His protective, wolfish nature is evident (scenting her, marking behavior). He is overpowered easily by Memnon, highlighting the power gap.
Memnon: His rage and possessiveness explode when he finds Selene with another man. He is utterly convinced she is his lost wife, ignoring her protests. The kiss shows that his control over her magic is a two-way pull, not just coercion.
Sybil: Briefly appears, encouraging Selene to go with Kane; she trusts the lycanthrope Sawyer.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Memory and Identity: Selene’s fear that she will forget Kane underscores the central motif of stolen memories. Memnon’s insistence that she is Roxilana directly challenges her sense of self.
Magic as Desire Amplifier: The party’s magic makes Selene’s instincts wilder, and Memnon’s purposeful manipulation of her arousal shows power used to override consent.
Boundaries – Physical and Magical: The standing stone marks literal territory, but the chapter also explores the blurred lines between Selene’s will and her body’s response.
Possessiveness vs. Autonomy: Kane’s wolfish claiming behavior contrasts with Memnon’s violent ownership claim; Selene resists both to assert her own choices.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter is a turning point: the romantic tension with Kane is violently interrupted, and Memnon’s presence becomes impossible to ignore. For the first time, Selene experiences his magic directly manipulating her desire, which forces her to question her own feelings. Memnon’s claim that she is his reincarnated wife introduces the story’s core paranormal romance conflict—whether Selene’s soul carries the memory of a past love. The attack on Kane raises the stakes: Memnon is willing to harm anyone Selene cares about. Selene’s use of magic to push him away reaffirms her agency, but her involuntary response to his kiss hints at a bond she cannot yet control.

Study Questions and Answers

1. Why does Selene hesitate to fully give in to Kane even when she is attracted to him?
Selene senses something is not right—Kane’s touch and taste feel slightly off, and she keeps feeling Memnon’s presence. Her wariness stems from the memory she has of the murdered witch in the woods and from the discordant notes she picks up whenever her attention drifts from Kane’s kiss.

2. How does Memnon’s magic influence Selene’s behavior throughout the chapter?
Memnon’s indigo magic strokes her skin and amplifies her desire, making her more responsive to Kane than she might otherwise be. She only realizes this when she sees the plumes of his power on her arm. The magic also compels her to kiss him back when he finally appears, creating a tension between her mental refusal and her body’s reaction.

3. What evidence does Memnon present that Selene is Roxilana, and why does she reject it?
Memnon points to her ability to speak Sarmatian and Latin when emotional, the way her magic recognizes his, and the fact that their bond “sings” in his blood. Selene rejects the claim because she has no memories of that life and because earlier he had acknowledged she was not Roxilana. The conversation ends with her still denying the identity, though the kiss hints at an unresolved connection.