Aaron came back to himself. Without touching Piper this time, he pushed in and interposed himself between one blow and the next. "They're asleep," he said, looking at him hard and willing him to understand. Whoever was inside, he could feel the old fear that was practically in every pore of the place, and the person inside had the distant vagueness of someone in slumber. "Deep asleep. They're not waking up because they wore out from being afraid. Do you understand? Just wait a second, okay?"