The talk was easy and the atmosphere good, so I shrugged and let it go. We talked of other things: the sparkle of diamonds and the colour of fine drinks. Flowing silks and the morning sun in a foreign country.

But the next day, in a board meeting, Power appeared. As they always did, he appeared instantly and alone; the others in the room seemed to slow into stillness and monochrome.

He looked around and nodded in approval. “You’ve been busy, I see. Using our Gifts well.”

Sipping from a glass of water that he hadn’t held previously, he leaned in close and lowered his voice.

“But our gifts are not given lightly, you understand. With them there comes some measure of, shall we say, responsibility.

“Do not continue to trouble yourself with the topics of last night. They are dangerous questions with uncertain answers. Enjoy yourself, keep up the fine work, and we will not have to further this discussion.”

And he was gone.