Bewitched Chapter 33: Selene Confronts the Hidden Chamber and Her Own Past
⚠️ 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 leads Memnon to the Ritual Room, where she was attacked the previous night. Memnon uses his magic to shatter the ward concealing the hidden doorway, and they descend into the chamber below. Memnon distracts Selene with flirtation as they move through the tunnels. She notices her shoes are missing, which suggests a witch could use them for a curse. Memnon deduces that someone specifically targeted Selene to be at the spell circle. Together, the two cast a powerful illusion spell to reseal the doorway, mixing their magic for the first time. Afterward, Memnon reflects on Selene’s missing memories and concludes that she cursed herself using the Law of Three—a magical principle that returns all actions threefold. This revelation shakes Selene’s understanding of her own past.
Key Events
- Selene and Memnon enter the Ritual Room, where she touches the wall that concealed the hidden passage.
- Memnon shatters the ward with a single punch, revealing the doorway.
- Selene hesitates to descend but takes Memnon’s offered hand after he speaks gently.
- Memnon carries Selene through the adjoining hallway, distracting her from fear with suggestive comments.
- In the chamber, Selene notices her shoes are gone, raising concerns about magical targeting.
- Memnon inspects the room and declares it “scrubbed” of evidence.
- Selene recalls that a coven sister named Kasey told her about the spell circle, but she cannot remember the details.
- Memnon deduces Selene was singled out and that she has enemies.
- They cast a shared illusion spell over the doorway: Memnon speaks the incantation in his mother tongue while Selene’s magic merges with his.
- Selene tests the spell by saying “reveal” and “conceal” in Sarmatian; the wall obeys.
- Memnon notes that Selene’s memory of her past and his legacy are both lost, then theorizes she used a damnatio memoriae curse on herself.
- He invokes the Law of Three as the mechanism for her self-cursing.
Character Development
Selene
Selene’s vulnerability is on full display: she is afraid to return to the attack site and admits her fear aloud. Yet she shows growing trust in Memnon, allowing him to carry her and later willingly blending her magic with his. Her indignation at Memnon’s claim that she is his equal fades when he insists she is the frightening one. By the chapter’s end, she must face the possibility that she is not the innocent witch she believes herself to be—that she may have voluntarily erased her own memories.
Memnon
Memnon oscillates between flirtatious and calculating. He deliberately unsettles Selene with sexual remarks but also protects her from her own fear. His ruthless side emerges when he deduces that enemies are after her and states that they will “suffer.” The spellcasting scene reveals his mastery over magic and his strategic mind: he intends to turn the hidden doorway into a trap. His final deduction—that Selene cursed herself—shows a deep understanding of magical principles and personal history.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
The Law of Three
The chapter introduces the Law of Three as a governing rule of magic: all spells return to the caster threefold. Memnon uses this principle to explain how Selene’s own curse could rebound on her. This motif underlines the idea that magic has consequences and that past actions—even forgotten ones—still shape the present.
Concealment and Revelation
The hidden doorway serves as a physical symbol of Selene’s blocked memories. Just as the wall can be revealed by a word, the truth about her past may be recoverable. The spell they cast together is both a literal barrier and a metaphor for the layered secrets between Selene and her own history.
Power and Control
Memnon’s statement “might makes right” contrasts with Selene’s idealistic view of the world. The chapter argues that those with strength (magical, physical, or political) write the rules. Selene’s discomfort with this idea shows her moral conflict as she aligns herself with a powerful, dangerous partner.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter advances the central mystery of Selene’s lost identity. Until now, she has assumed her memory gaps are natural or the result of shock. Memnon’s theory—that she deliberately cursed herself—raises the stakes: her enemy may be her own past self. The shared spellcasting deepens the bond between Selene and Memnon, both magically and emotionally. It also establishes the Law of Three as a key plot device for future revelations. The chapter ends with Selene’s worldview shaken, setting up her next steps to uncover the truth.
Study Questions and Answers
Q1: Why does Memnon say “might makes right” to Selene, and how does she react?
A: Memnon argues that modern society only pretends to reject violence; real power still determines who holds control. Selene objects, calling the idea cynical. Her reaction shows her idealism, but the chapter leaves her without a counterargument, suggesting she may need to accept a harsher reality to survive.
Q2: What is the significance of Selene’s missing shoes?
A: Shoes can be used in sympathetic magic—a witch could curse Selene through an object she has worn. Their absence confirms that someone deliberately targeted her and removed evidence. This detail shifts Selene from a passive victim to a hunted individual with active enemies.
Q3: How does the shared spellcasting scene advance Selene and Memnon’s relationship?
A: By merging their magic, Selene and Memnon create a tangible bond that goes beyond physical attraction. Selene feels his essence inside her, and he responds with longing when she laughs. The scene transforms their dynamic from distrust to cooperation, establishing a foundation for their partnership.