WULFRIC'S heart thumped at Aster's mention of a 'reward'. All the nervousness and anxiety he'd felt about possibly being discovered as the one behind the shower of jasmine petals seemed to scatter instantly. Now he could only wonder: what exactly did Aster mean by a reward?
Before his brain could fully process the thought, the words slipped out: "What reward?"
A small, secret smile tugged at Astrid's lips when Wulfric took the bait. The prince's curiosity had clearly overridden his self-preservation. Before Wulfric could reconsider, Astrid pressed on:
"You'll find out once you answer my question truthfully. So what's it going to be? Lie and get ignored for a week, or tell the truth and get your reward?"
The choice was obvious. The moment Wulfric heard Aster might ignore him for lying, his decision was made—though it suspiciously felt like he'd just walked into a cunningly made trap.
