Maeve fly, p.23
Maeve Fly, page 23
Thank you to all my favorite writers, especially Stephen King. Just for existing. For showing what is possible and providing a light at the end of a sometimes excruciating tunnel.
To my family, who may or may not want to be attached to this book once they read it (!), but who have been throughout my life so supportive I will never be able to fully convey. My cousins, aunts, uncles, stepfamilies, and all the Kouris, thank you for loving me unconditionally. I am the luckiest girl in the world. Special shout-out to the current Doctor Leede, for always responding to my texts after ER shifts to answer questions regarding what could be done to a human body, questions that I’m sure would put me on a hundred watch lists.
To my friends (my friends!), how anyone gets through this life alone, I will never know. Anya, Evan, Jean, Mina, SJ, Brady, Natalie, Christina, Nifath, Nadya, Santo, Sydney, Matt and Lexi, you have all been there for me in the last six years, when I needed friends most. You mean more to me than you will ever know. I love you all so deeply, even as I owe many of my worst hangovers to you. Thank you for being you. To my littles, Ivy, Arthur, Delainy, and Franki, thank you for keeping me young always! To the Los Angeles community who welcomed our human-canine family with open arms, you have been a vital part of this book’s conception. Especially the WONDERFUL couple who inspired the HORRIBLE couple in a certain Beverly Hills engagement party scene! To Chris Molnar—without you ever handing me that copy of Story of the Eye late one night at a party, this book would never have come to be. Thank you for thinking I was the kind of girl who would enjoy it. To the Anarchists, thank you for always giving me a running soundtrack for when I need a break from writing. And to Kelsey and Mia. You are my family, now and always. I could not be the person I am now without you both. I love you with my whole heart.
My parents. There just aren’t words, and will never be, for what you have given me. Thank you for accepting and celebrating the person I am, for always pushing me to strive for the greatest possible happiness, and for never allowing me to settle for anything less. You have gifted me a truly incredible life, getting to do every day what I love most. You are my favorite people. To my grandfathers, other family members, and loved ones who have passed on too soon, I will carry you in my heart always. To my grandmothers, who I continue to model much of my life after, thank you for being the most fabulous women to ever walk this planet. The world truly was not ready for you!
And to the greatest partner in this life I ever could have imagined. You have taught me it is okay to feel deeply and messily, to be uncertain and chaotic, and to make big mistakes. You have stood by me in the darkest moments, survived a pandemic shut inside with me, and without you, your insight, and your encouragement, Maeve could never exist. Without you, I would not be who I am now. You are the best hockey date, dog father, travel partner, and live-in editor, and there is no one in the world with whom I would rather sit and discuss writing at any dark tiki bar. You are my person, and it is an unimaginably beautiful thing, to see and be seen.
Finally, to my most-prized reader. Thank you for lending Maeve, and me, your most precious headspace for a time. You are as vital as every neon sign, as all the fallen palm fronds. May your drinks stay frozen, your jack-o’-lanterns burn bright, and your fangs glint always in the moonlight. And may this be only the beginning of our journey together.
Happy haunting.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
CJ LEEDE is a horror writer, distance hiker, and Trekkie. She has an MFA in creative writing from Columbia University and a BA from NYU’s Gallatin School, where she studied mythology and the Middle Ages. When she’s not driving around the country, she can be found in LA with her boyfriend and four rescue dogs. Alongside Maeve Fly, Leede has two more horror novels coming from Tor Nightfire. You can sign up for email updates here.
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CONTENTS
Title Page
Copyright Notice
Dedication
Epigraphs
Chaper I
Chaper II
Chaper III
Chaper IV
Chaper V
Chaper VI
Chaper VII
Chaper VIII
Chaper IX
Chaper X
Chaper XI
Chaper XII
Chaper XIII
Chaper XIV
Chaper XV
Chaper XVI
Chaper XVII
Chaper XVIII
Chaper XIX
Chaper XX
Chaper XXI
Chaper XXII
Chaper XXIII
Chaper XXIV
Chaper XXV
Chaper XXVI
Chaper XXVII
Chaper XXVIII
Chaper XXIX
Chaper XXX
Chaper XXXI
Chaper XXXII
Chaper XXXIII
Chaper XXXIV
Chaper XXXV
Chaper XXXVI
Chaper XXXVII
Chaper XXXVIII
Chaper XXXIX
Chaper XL
Chaper XLI
Chaper XLII
Chaper XLIII
Chaper XLIV
Chaper XLV
Chaper XLVI
Chaper XLVII
Chaper XLVIII
Chaper XLIX
Chaper L
Chaper LI
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Copyright
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. This novel was not authorized, approved, or endorsed by Disney or the Los Angeles Kings.
MAEVE FLY
Copyright © 2023 by Friday Harbor LLC
All rights reserved.
Cover art by Carly Janine Mazur
Cover design by Christine Foltzer
A Nightfire Book
Published by Tom Doherty Associates / Tor Publishing Group
120 Broadway
New York, NY 10271
www.tornightfire.com
Nightfire™ is a trademark of Macmillan Publishing Group, LLC.
The Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available upon request.
ISBN 978-1-250-85785-9 (hardcover)
ISBN 978-1-250-85787-3 (ebook)
eISBN 9781250857873
Our ebooks may be purchased in bulk for promotional, educational, or business use. Please contact the Macmillan Corporate and Premium Sales Department at 1-800-221-7945, extension 5442, or by email at MacmillanSpecialMarkets@macmillan.com.
First Edition: 2023
CJ Leede, Maeve Fly
