What happened in Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes - Recaptains

The basics

Title: Falling Kingdoms

Author: Morgan Rhodes

Series: Falling Kingdoms #1

- Falling Kingdoms (December 2012)
- Rebel Spring (December 2013)
- Gathering Darkness (December 2014)
- Frozen Tides (December 2015)
- Untitled (2016)
- Untitled (2017)

Add it: Goodreads

Goodreads Summary:

In the three kingdoms of Mytica, magic has long been forgotten. And while hard-won peace has reigned for centuries, a deadly unrest now simmers below the surface.

As the rulers of each kingdom grapple for power, the lives of their subjects are brutally transformed... and four key players, royals and rebels alike, find their fates forever intertwined. Cleo, Jonas, Lucia, and Magnus are caught in a dizzying world of treacherous betrayals, shocking murders, secret alliances, and even unforeseen love.

The only outcome that's certain is that kingdoms will fall. Who will emerge triumphant when all they know has collapsed?

It's the eve of war.... Choose your side.

in short

what happened in Falling Kingdoms?

• Princess Cleiona is a sassy, brave young princess who finds herself in the wrong place at the wrong time when her “friend” Aron lets his temper and pride get the best of him, resulting in the death of a poor wine merchant’s son.
• Magnus is the heir to the Limeran throne. Much maligned and ignored by his father, the King of Blood, Magnus spends his days training, reading and secretly pining for his sister Lucia.
• Lucia is a princess, but not by blood. She was stolen from her cradle by a pair of witches who sought to raise the child whom they believed would be the most powerful sorceress the 3 kingdoms have ever known.
• Jonas is the brother of Tomas, the young man murdered by Lord Aron on that fateful afternoon in Paelsia. He seeks revenge and possibly a revolution that will change the lives of his impoverished countrymen forever.
• Cleo manages to escape her guards with the help of her best friend Nic. She plans to travel back to Paelsia in search of grape seeds infused with Earth Magic. She hopes that the stories are true and that these seeds will save her sister Emilia who is gravely ill with a mysterious disease.
• While in Paelsia, Cleo & Nic are taken in by an elderly merchant woman. She beds them for the night and tells them a magical story of the first Watchers of the land. Apparently, a long long time ago, a Watcher named Eva fell in love with a lowly human hunter. She was the most powerful of all the Watchers (sorcerers who live in an alternative realm known as the Sanctuary). She bore his child, but her elder sisters were jealous and they threatened the child’s life if Eva did not bring the Kindred (4 magical stones). Eva brought the Kindred to her sisters within the mortal realm but the sisters could never return to their home in the Sanctuary for which they were extremely angered leading to the death of Eva. The sisters ended up turning on each other as well but the hunter was there to pick up the pieces of the Kindred and hide them so not to corrupt anyone else. They have been missing ever since.
• This story renews Cleo’s hope in magic and salvation for her sister.
• Unfortunately, word travels that the beautiful princess is staying in Paelsia and Jonas goes to check for himself.
• Meanwhile, Lucia’s powers are growing. She wants to hide them away because she is fearful that her father or someone else will punish her for being labeled a witch.
• Eventually she tells her brother Magnus and the two practice in secret. This secret last for all of a hot second because both Magnus’ father and his mistress, Sabina have been patiently waiting for 16 years for Lucia’s powers to show. Sabina corners Magnus, promising him sexy times if he will rat out his sister. Magnus refuses, but Lucia walks in on this awkward moment and reveals her powers, burning Sabina to a crisp.
• King Gaius is thrilled with his daughter’s new powers. He plans on using them to his advantage when he storms the Auranian castle. He has made a blood pact with the Chief of Paelsia, Basilias.
• Back in Paelsia, Jonas kidnaps Cleo and imprisons her in his sister’s shed. Cleo eventually escapes with the help of her trusty (and hunky) guard, Theon. She, Nic and Theon head back toward the docks and Auranos. But just as she and Theon are expressing their hidden love for each other, Prince Magnus shows up to take Cleo back to Limeros for ransom. Theon manages to kill two of the Limeran guards but is mortally stabbed in the back by Magnus, much to Cleo’s horror. Cleo narrowly escapes Magnus’ grasp with the help of Nic and returns to Auranos heartbroken.
• Magnus returns to Limeros, tale between his legs, fully expecting the wrath of his father. But his father is so consumed with the upcoming war and the newly formed powers of his daughter that he barely remarks on Magnus’ failings. Magnus is comforted in his self-loathing by his sister Lucia. He takes this intimate moment to finally tell Lucia how he feels about her. Lucia does NOT reciprocate his feelings even though Magnus attempts to convince her it isn’t wrong since they are not actually blood related. She runs from the room totally creeped out and Magnus continues his pitty party.
• Cleo’s return to Auranos is met with vague anger from her father who is still very concerned for her well being but loves her none the less. Emilia is still in grave danger of succumbing to her illness but the two sisters still share some touching bonding moments together.
• The Limeran and Paelsian forces march on Auranos. Jonas is among the troops but he has begun to question the motives of King Gaius of Limeros as well as the aloof Chief Basilius.
• The battle is ferocious. Hundreds perish. Magnus is gravely injured but healed with the Earth Magic his sister Lucia possesses. It is also with Lucia’s precious magic that the forces are able to blast through the enchanted gates of Auranos and seize the castle.
• During the battle, Emilia succumbs to her illness. Cleo attempts to save her using the magic seeds gifted to her by the merchant woman of Paelsia (secretly an exiled Watcher), but it is too late.
• When the palace walls are breached, Cleo and Nic run to find his sister Mira, they run into Prince Magnus who again fails to capture Cleo (she runs). Cleo finds her father who gifts Cleo with a special ring (Eva the Watcher’s ring. Cleo is a descendant of the hunter, and the ring should give her power to hold the Kindred without being overwhelmed with its powers). King Corvin then dies in Cleo’s arms.

how did it end

anything else?

This is a full plot summary of what happened in Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes. Check out our recap list for more recaps. If you can’t find what you need, you can request a recap from us!

Other recaps for this series:

• Crystal Storm (Falling Kingdoms #5)
• Frozen Tides (Falling Kingdoms #4)
• Gathering Darkness (Falling Kingdoms #3)
• Rebel Spring (Falling Kingdoms #2)