Continuing in our holiday short story releases, today we have “Vilqa’s Gift for the Sea Goddess.” I like to use the bonus stories for this series to showcase some of the other characters besides Riwenne. We already had Amena and Kyra, I have other plans for Nexita, and Winter Solstice in their culture is a time to celebrate the sea goddess. So why not give some time to the sea goddess’s champion, Vilqa?

This cover was quite challenging to create. There aren’t a lot of gender-neutral/non-binary people represented in steampunk artwork or photography. There are some other fun elements in this cover, like the elaborate clock design and the lightning from winter storms. And maybe you can see the books in the corner that give Vilqa so much trouble.

The champion of the sea goddess must lead the holiday ritual to thank the sea. But if they can’t even read the words, how can Vilqa find the perfect gift?
Vilqa got the opportunity of a lifetime to serve the sea goddess, Sawycha. But being a Divine Warrior comes with lots of responsibilities, and Vilqa is struggling to keep up. They’re still learning how to read, and their leader, Riwenne, wrote down the ritual instructions with very messy handwriting. Vilqa needs help to decipher the ritual and figure out the right gift to show gratitude on Winter Solstice, the holiday for the sea.
Vilqa only has one day to prepare and avoid total humiliation.
“Vilqa’s Gift for the Sea Goddess” is a holiday short story in the Divine Warriors, a steampunk fantasy series for teens. It’s set a few months after the events of book three, but it can be enjoyed as a stand-alone.
Vilqa is a non-binary individual who uses they/them pronouns.