The Cursed Soul Series by Lidiya Foxglove

Born of wood, cloth, and a substantial dose of magic, Velsa is a Fanarlem, a beautiful artificial girl. Raised to be a concubine, told that her soul is damaged and fated to serve others, she has seen her friends at the House of Perfumed Ribbons sold off to be the pets of wealthy men. Now her own dreaded day has come.Grau Thanneau is a sorcerer who expects to own a spectacular piece of spell work--he doesn't realize that everything he has been told about Fanarlem is a lie... moreBorn of wood, cloth, and a substantial dose of magic, Velsa is a Fanarlem, a beautiful artificial girl. Raised to be a concubine, told that her soul is damaged and fated to serve others, she has seen her friends at the House of Perfumed Ribbons sold off to be the pets of wealthy men. Now her own dreaded day has come.Grau Thanneau is a sorcerer who expects to own a spectacular piece of spell work--he doesn't realize that everything he has been told about Fanarlem is a lie. Velsa is not a dull-witted doll, but an intelligent and luminous girl who captivates his heart. Grau would throw away everything just to keep Velsa safe, but he can’t control the larger forces swirling around them—nor shirk his duty to serve in the border patrol, where concubine dolls are allowed to keep the men out of trouble with Miralem female spies.There is a land where Fanarlem aren’t treated like slaves—and it’s in the nations of their enemy. The Miralem people to the north have terrifying powers to read and control minds, to heal or destroy. And they share this power with the most rare and terrifying creatures of all—the dragons.Some Fanarlem are born with these telepathic powers as well, and Velsa is one of them—her powers locked by a golden band around her neck. All her life,her ability has been suppressed and untrained. War is brewing, and when the enemy attacks, Velsa might be the only one who can stand against the Miralem and the dragons. Grau would never be welcome in the Miralem lands, but when a life with him means she will always be treated as nothing, how can she choose? less

Velsa is Grau's wife and a free woman - thanks to a lie. And the High Sorcerer's Palace is no place for keeping a secret, with its bustling social life of parties and balls. Velsa and Grau soon attract the notice of none other than one of the Four Generals, who sees promise in Velsa's power and wants to use her. But that would mean serving the High Sorcerer. If anyone finds out what she truly is, she would lose everything... moreVelsa is Grau's wife and a free woman - thanks to a lie. And the High Sorcerer's Palace is no place for keeping a secret, with its bustling social life of parties and balls. Velsa and Grau soon attract the notice of none other than one of the Four Generals, who sees promise in Velsa's power and wants to use her. But that would mean serving the High Sorcerer. If anyone finds out what she truly is, she would lose everything.Velsa is torn between her old role as a concubine and her place in a strange new world. She needs to stay quiet, but she can't resist when she sees a young enslaved doll girl being hired out. She brings the girl home and soon, Sorla is like family. But Sorla has secrets of her own, and as everyone's secrets unravel, they tear Velsa and Grau apart forever.... less

Following a fierce battle, Grau's life hangs in the balance. Velsa, Sorla, and Kessily seek healing and refuge in the land of Laionesse, only to learn that Grau's injuries may be beyond help - unless they can beg a favor from the great necromancer Dormongara, who lives alone in a castle on a mountain and is notoriously unkind to visitors. He demands a steep price indeed--a bride... moreFollowing a fierce battle, Grau's life hangs in the balance. Velsa, Sorla, and Kessily seek healing and refuge in the land of Laionesse, only to learn that Grau's injuries may be beyond help - unless they can beg a favor from the great necromancer Dormongara, who lives alone in a castle on a mountain and is notoriously unkind to visitors. He demands a steep price indeed--a bride.Kessily reluctantly accepts his offer, but meeting the necromancer leads to unexpected consequences, bringing an old nemesis back into Velsa's life along with a notorious gang of bandits who see Grau as an intruder to be snuffed out.The Miralem land might not quite be the refuge they hoped for, but it might be a safe home for their found family anyway, as they make friends with a family of wyvern breeders, stand up for local Fanarlem, and even catch the attention of a kind prince--but it all might end in tragedy. Velsa and Grau's fate hangs in the balance in the final test of their love. Can a sorcerer and a doll girl finally find happiness anywhere in this world? less