In Thomas Lawrence’s magical new novel, a wise man full of grief meets a young boy running from his past. This meeting of the souls is about to change their entire lives . . . .

 “What’s a gnoseer, Keela? I mean, I’ve heard of them in stories but I’ve never met one before.”

They were in the kitchen preparing the evening meal together. Geeter had helped his mother in the past and so was quite familiar with doing what a lot of men and boys would call women’s work.

“Well, Geeter, that is a good question. They have skills and ways that stretch back into the mists of time. Some say even to the great Beginning.” Keela focused on washing a potato as she considered how best to answer him.

“Of course you are better off asking Wode but I can see why you are starting with me.” She smiled. “They are men and women who see, hear or just know things that most of us do not. They work with the powers of the universe to give of themselves to heal and help us all. Some travel and some just serve the people in their locale. They are close to nature and some say they can take the form of an animal, travel through time and change the past to change the present or future.”

“Goodness!”

“Yes, I know. Best not to annoy them!”

“Tell me more, Keela.”

“Well, they are very wise and are usually the ones called to the Wisdom Tree.”

“What’s the Wisdom Tree? I mean, I’ve heard of that too – my father mentioned it, I think – but I’m not sure. It isn’t talked of in Tulkney.”

“No, town folk are losing touch with the old ways, and it will be their undoing,” Keela sighed.

“The Wisdom Tree is the biggest mystery on Bracka. It grows in the middle of the island, in the central fertile lowlands of the Tulrain, not far from Kuik. It’s the only tree of its type found anywhere and they say it’s half as old as time. It’s huge and mysterious.”

Geeter was agog. “Half as old as time?”

“Indeed. And underneath the Wisdom Tree sits the Keeper – a sage or gnoseer. They are sometimes there for a week, a fortnight or even just a day. Folk go to the Wisdom Tree for advice, to seek knowledge, and the amazing thing is, it doesn’t matter when they go, the right sage or gnoseer will be there to give them the perfect answer to their question! A particular gnoseer will just get an intuition, a calling within that they need to leave whatever they are doing and travel to the Tree of Knowledge – its other name. And there they sit and wait, answering questions from anyone who has travelled to ask. Lore has it that they only leave when the next one turns up. But the truth is, no one knows because you don’t go to the Tree without a question, and as the right sage is already there, no one has ever turned up to find themselves alone there. Once your question is answered you go on your way.” She paused, remembering her own visit many years ago to the Tree. “It has massive boughs extending out forty feet, tapering into lovely long, soft needles. It’s maybe two hundred feet high and in perfect condition. No rot, no lightning or wind damage. Perfect!”

Geeter was all ears, his imagination conjuring a magical picture of the great Tree.

“It’s protected, of course: it is said that whosoever should damage the Tree, take a branch, or carve their name on the trunk, will be cursed with a thousand ills that not even the most powerful gnoseer could heal. You can pick its flowers though, if you are tall enough; in summer it has the most heavenly scent and from the flowers you can make the most delicious tea – although most daren’t. But I bet Wode has some in his tea pouch.”

“So what sort of questions do people ask?”

“Anything really. But something significant. You aren’t going to travel for days just to ask how to grow cabbages!”

Geeter laughed. Then he was suddenly silent. Keela knew what was coming next.

“I could go there and ask about my future, couldn’t I?”

“Yes, you could.”