Start the song. It's Harsh Realm by Widowspeak.

Josh woke up with Tyler still fast asleep on top of him. He turned his head to look at Ashley, who was wiping sleep from her eyes. When she dropped her hands, she met his gaze.

"Good morning," she whispered.

"Good morning," he replied, sending her a reassuring smile.

She tried to fight it for a second before smiling back. "You're lucky you're cute."

"One, I'm not cute. Two, why?" Josh asked, rubbing Tyler's back lightly. He smiled when Tyler sighed against his chest and snuggled closer.

"One, you are cute. Two, you skipping school means I lose my window into the real world." Ashley was smiling though. She didn't mind him missing. She understood why he was staying home: to protect Tyler.

The two of them looked up when the door opened. Josh's dad stepped into the room, looking solemn. "It's nearly time."

Josh swallowed. He knew Mathias and Ash would be punished at some point, but he didn't realise it would be tonight. If they were planning this morning, they would have to perform the punishments tonight.

"We'll be down in a minute."

His father nodded. "Be thinking of how you want them to be punished. You're responsible for their deliverance today."

"Yes, sir. I will."

As soon as the door closed, Josh's head thumped back against his pillow. He groaned in aggravation. Ashley looked like she was going to cry. Maybe he would too. Right now, however, he just felt numb. Tonight, he would have to punish Mathias and his little sister by cult standards. The punishment had to fit the crime, and it was going to be bloody.

Josh went to shift Tyler off of him so he could go get dressed, but froze when Tyler sat up, already panicking. "Where are you going? What's happening?" Tears were flooding into his eyes.

"You're safe, Tyler. I just have to go meet with the elders. You guys can come, but it's probably going to get gory."

Josh really hoped Tyler wouldn't go. He was already so scared. He didn't need to see any more of what Josh's life was like within the community. What he needed was rest, and lots of it. One look at Tyler's terrified face, however, told him that Tyler didn't want to be without him. He sighed.

"Get dressed then," Josh told him.

Tyler nodded, climbing out of bed and waiting for Josh to get out too. Josh went to the closet, finding clothes for all three of them. Someone must have brought Tyler clothes in the night. A second pile of white clothing was sat on the shelf above Ashley's dresses. He handed them their clothes, helping Ashley pull her dress over her head out of habit before helping Tyler with his shirt when it nearly touched his stitches.

"Told you he's a good husband," Ashley said to Tyler as she handed Josh his socks.

Tyler smiled at her, fiddling nervously with the amulet hanging around his neck. Something about knowing Tyler had the amulet made Josh feel at ease. Now, not only did he have scarification and the branding, he had physical proof of belonging to the Dun clan. No one would mess with him. The only thing that would make him safer would be if he could wear black, but Josh wouldn't let that happen to him.

"Ready?" Josh asked them.

They both nodded. Ashley took his hand instantly, looking anxiously at the door. Tyler remained frozen, the amulet clutched in his hand as he looked at the door in fear. He was trembling.

"You don't have to go, Tyler," Josh reminded Tyler gently.

Tyler looked to Josh anxiously. "No, I just...I'm just scared. I'm more scared to be alone though."

"How's your head, Tyler?" Josh asked, walking over to the bed where Tyler was sat chewing his bottom lip to keep from crying.

Tyler shrugged weakly. "The pain's back, but not as bad as before."

Josh nodded slowly. "Okay. Well, we're going to play that our advantage, okay? Mathias isn't getting away with this. Come here."

Josh lifted Tyler off of the bed, letting him wrap his legs around his waist and hide his face like he had last night. The elders weren't going to let Mathias get away with doing this to anyone, especially the spouse of a Dun. Ashley held onto his back belt loop as they went downstairs, hiding behind him as best as she could.

The main level was loud. Everyone was yelling and carrying on. Music was playing and people were getting drunk despite the early hour. The only place where it was calm was where the elders sat. His father sat in the centre with Josh's little brother at his side.

Mathias and Ash sat on chairs from the dinner table, each chained to their seat. Mathias was gagged, but Ash's body was practically vacant. She stared at the ground without any emotion on her face. She met Josh's eyes when he walked past, guilt flashing across her features when he saw Tyler. He was still hiding, so Josh sat beside his father with the injured boy in his lap. Ashley sat at his feet, which seemed to impress the elders.

"Is this the boy Mathias captured?" One of the oldest men, Titus, asked.

"Yes, sir," Josh replied respectfully. Just to keep the elders from viewing him as simply an outsider, Josh added, "He's my husband, Tyler."

That caused a stir. The elders all whispered to each other, looking angrily at Mathias. Spouses were off limits, regardless of how they were acquired. Mathias and Ash weren't going to get off easy this time, and they all knew it.

"Can he speak to tell us his side of the story?" One of the women, Lilith, asked.

Josh shook his head. "No."

"And why is that?" She asked, looking troubled.

"Mathias cracked his skull, so his head hurts pretty fucking bad. He's not in a good state for public speaking," Josh told them.

Mathias yelled against his gag, but the words were muffled. Josh covered Ashley's eyes when one of the elders pulled a poker out of the fire and pressed it against his neck, making the flesh sizzle. He screamed into his gag, but then the poker was dropped back into the fire. Josh removed his hand, soothing it through her curly hair instead. Tyler was shaking, his knuckles white from how hard he was gripping Josh's shirt.

"You're scaring the boy," Titus told Mathias. "You've done enough to him already."

"You're safe," Josh whispered in Tyler's ear. "They're on your side."

Tyler nodded, relaxing against Josh slightly. Josh held him close with one arm whilst soothing Ashley with the other.

"Now, Joshua, this is unrelated to the current trial, but are you planning to consummate either of your marriages anytime soon?" Lilith asked curiously. Her dark eyes watched him too closely.

Thankfully, his father answered for him. "Joshua and Ashley will be holding off their consummation until the full moon. They're planning to undergo the fertility ritual. As for his husband, well, his head needs to heal before Josh can do anything like that to him."

Josh hadn't thought about that. Tyler was safe until his head healed. He only had a few more weeks until he'd have no choice but to take Ashley, but Tyler was safe. The elders wouldn't even try to force him to take Tyler. He was still healing.

"Excellent!"

"Joshua will be a father!"

"Oh, the Lord will be so proud!"

"You'll provide The Family with a new generation."

Josh felt sick. He didn't want to provide them with more children to do this to. He just wanted Ashley to be safe. This wasn't about procreation. It was about buying enough time to rescue her.

His body relaxed slightly when Tyler whispered to him, "You won't be like them."

He pressed a kiss to the top of Tyler's head before looking back to the elders. Tyler sighed, and Josh knew he was exhausted. "Sleep," he whispered to him. "I'll protect you."

A blush crept up Josh's cheeks when he felt Tyler's lips brush against his neck before he rested his head against his shoulder. Tyler's body relaxed fully. He trusted Josh to keep him safe. Even Ashley hadn't trusted him this quickly, yet Tyler was already drifting off to sleep.

"You smell good," Tyler mumbled sleepily to Josh, nudging his nose against his neck before relaxing.

Josh didn't reply, rubbing Tyler's back until his breathing evened out. He almost forgot about the meeting until he heard his father ask, "So, Joshua. Have you decided?"

"Decided?" Josh asked.

"On what their punishments shall be, dear," Lilith coached. "Have you decided?"

Josh looked down at the stitches on Tyler's head. He could still see his sister's fingers pointed at that same head. He could still picture Tyler struggling to maintain consciousness in the basement while Mathias stood by idly. The rage he felt could rival Satan's any day.

"I have."