Adalta Series by Sherrill Nilson

On the beautiful world Adalta, a lost colony from Earth is about to come under attack by a forgotten enemy. To Marta, Adalta is just another planet to spy on for the massive trade ship that hides in the skies. Her tough-girl shell cracks when Sidhari, one of Adalta’s majestic flying horses, chooses Marta as her rider, and a soul deep bond begins to form. Still undercover, Marta trains to join the Mi’hiru, the elite all-female Karda guard... moreOn the beautiful world Adalta, a lost colony from Earth is about to come under attack by a forgotten enemy. To Marta, Adalta is just another planet to spy on for the massive trade ship that hides in the skies. Her tough-girl shell cracks when Sidhari, one of Adalta’s majestic flying horses, chooses Marta as her rider, and a soul deep bond begins to form. Still undercover, Marta trains to join the Mi’hiru, the elite all-female Karda guard.Assigned to handsome nobleman Altan’s quadrant, they fight a growing attraction. She has her iron-clad rules—no relationships, no friends, no lovers. She’s not staying on this planet. He’s destined to marry for politics, not love. Flying on patrol with Altan, they spot a village under attack by marauders with smuggled weapons she recognizes from her ship. And she is thrown into a battle between brothers that threatens all of Adalta. less

In Hunter, book two of the Adalta series, Tessa, a young girl with a shattered dream, must unite with Galen, a young man with a shattered emotional shell. Tessa’s dream to reclaim her trauma-blocked elemental talent and become a healer fractures when a powerful flying hawk-headed horse claims her as the Austringer, one who hunts with hawks. Instead of learning to heal, she must learn to kill the ancient evil arising on the planet... moreIn Hunter, book two of the Adalta series, Tessa, a young girl with a shattered dream, must unite with Galen, a young man with a shattered emotional shell. Tessa’s dream to reclaim her trauma-blocked elemental talent and become a healer fractures when a powerful flying hawk-headed horse claims her as the Austringer, one who hunts with hawks. Instead of learning to heal, she must learn to kill the ancient evil arising on the planet. Galen has no dream, and the emotions he can no longer hide threaten to explode. Assaulted by overwhelming elemental forces from the planet, he becomes the legendary Kern––with power over plants and soil he doesn’t believe in and doesn’t want. When a blood-and-death magician releases an ancient alien imprisoned for centuries, its horrific creatures rise to kill everyone who threatens to block its returning powers and its invasion of the planet. Together Tessa the Hunter and Galen the Kern must fight this alien evil that threatens to enslave their planet. Sherrill Nilson used to raise horses. Now she writes about flying horses. less