Into the Nevertime: Dahlia's Quest. The Guardians, #1

Fifteen years ago, Dahlia's aunt vanished. Her family grieved, planted a tree, and tried to move on. Dahlia was four. She never moved on. A recurring dream, a stranger in a dark alley, and a photograph that shouldn't exist pull her into the hidden world of the Guardians, immortal protectors who have watched over civilization since the dawn of time. They tell her Erin isn't dead. She's trapped in the Nevertime, the land of the dead, a place where memory shapes reality and the only way out requires a living soul brave enough to walk in.
Armed with a blade that has its own opinions, guided by the ghost of a Roman senator who hasn't spoken to anyone interesting in two thousand years, and hunted by something that wants to wear her aunt's body home, Dahlia will discover that the line between the living and the dead is thinner than anyone told her. And that family is worth crossing it for. Into the Nevertime is the first book in The Guardians series: urban fantasy with fur, ancient power held in check, and a young woman who walked into the land of the dead with her head held high.
The Guardians Series: Book 1: Into the Nevertime (Available Now!) Book 2: Into the Eternal ( Summer 2026 ) Book 3: Into the Darknest ( Fall 2026 ) Book 4: Into the Aftermath ( Winter 2027 ) The Side Stories ( Parallel with Book 2 ) I would like to thank and publicly acknowledge the vast amount of Story Contributions and World-Building Development over nearly 30 years by my spouse Cecil Dewalt. This book series would not have even been half as robust and rich as it is without their extensive support and boundless creativity.