The War of Memory Cycle Series by H. Anthe Davis

Redemption through Service.Purification through Sacrifice.These are the tenets of the Imperial Light, and Cob follows them devoutly despite being enslaved for his father's treason. Now, raised as a soldier and betrayed by a friend, he has been driven from the Imperial Army into the heretic-riddled lands he helped to conquer... moreRedemption through Service.Purification through Sacrifice.These are the tenets of the Imperial Light, and Cob follows them devoutly despite being enslaved for his father's treason. Now, raised as a soldier and betrayed by a friend, he has been driven from the Imperial Army into the heretic-riddled lands he helped to conquer. In this strange realm, he finds that Light and Dark are not as simple as they seemed, and though he considers everyone around him an enemy, to them he is a prize--the unwitting carrier of a secret that every faction in the warring world wants.The Army would do anything to get it back except kill him.His treacherous friend has no such qualms. less

In the wake of his disastrous escape, Cob -- the Guardian vessel -- is determined to free the spirit that possesses him, even if it means working with heretics. But when he learns that the only solution is the same necromancy that trapped the Guardian inside him, he is thrust into the center of the age-old conflict between the Guardian and the wraiths who brought magic to the world... moreIn the wake of his disastrous escape, Cob -- the Guardian vessel -- is determined to free the spirit that possesses him, even if it means working with heretics. But when he learns that the only solution is the same necromancy that trapped the Guardian inside him, he is thrust into the center of the age-old conflict between the Guardian and the wraiths who brought magic to the world. With friends both old and new in tow, he sets out to find the Accursed Thornland of Haaraka and the benevolent necromancers said to dwell within, hunted not only by wraiths and the Phoenix Empire's armies but by the man who placed the bonds: the Ravager's vessel, known to Cob as Morshoc.As his enemies harry him across the Imperial Heartlands, upheavals are happening elsewhere: for Captain Sarovy of the Crimson Claw, for Geraad Iskaen of the Silent Circle, and for the Crimson General himself.Old illusions will fail, secrets rise to the light -- but even the truth may be a trap. less

The Puppeteer Emerges from the Shadow of the Throne...Ever since the massacre at Riftwatch, Cob has reserved his true hatred for one man: the necromancer Shaidaxi Enkhaelen. Even after the Empire's corruption became clear to him, he remained fixated on Enkhaelen as its cause.But there is more at work within the Empire than even a centuries-old puppet-master can control... moreThe Puppeteer Emerges from the Shadow of the Throne...Ever since the massacre at Riftwatch, Cob has reserved his true hatred for one man: the necromancer Shaidaxi Enkhaelen. Even after the Empire's corruption became clear to him, he remained fixated on Enkhaelen as its cause.But there is more at work within the Empire than even a centuries-old puppet-master can control. From the sullen streets of Bahlaer to the depths of Valent to the towering spires of the Imperial City, a grim tide is rising -- bearing with it all the old hostilities and unforgivable secrets that the Empire has tried to suppress. As cities, armies and friendships begin to tear themselves apart, Cob must face the realization that nothing can be trusted: not his memories, not his allies, not the Guardian.Not even his hate. less