Zosia

Zosia is a supporting character in To Sleep With Evil. Formerly the midwife and nurse of Valeska and the current cook and servant of Lord Milos Donskoy, Zosia nonetheless has an enigmatic agenda of her own.

Biography

Zosia is a Vistani witch, though her mystical talents as a Vistani have dwindled with her time sedentary at Donskoy's keep. (Lord Donskoy refers to her as "tamed", reflecting this awareness.) Although never explicitly referred to as such, the dwindling of her power is static burn, the torturous process of a Vistani becoming a mortu, one somewhat cutoff from their Vistani nature.) Nonetheless, Zosia retains some considerable mystical ability, including some prediction of the future and a seeming spy and familiar in Griezell, her Griezellbub pet. She is also skilled in using herbs and also regularly provides various recreational drugs to Donskoy. Some of these drugs cause Donskoy to slip into periods of delirium.

Zosia was once midwife, nurse, and servant to Valeska, a Vistani woman Donskoy took to be his wife against the wishes of Valeska's tribe. In Valeska's pregnancy, he tore their child from her womb and killed it. She cursed him saying, "The seeds you have sown shall seal your damnation. The blood of your blood shall bring you to your knees." before, according to Djubo, she jumped from a ledge to her death.

Following Valeska's death, Zosia stayed on as Donskoy's servant. Over the course of To Sleep With Evil, she helps Marguerite de Boche in a number of ways, both formal (as Marguerite's midwife during her pregnancy) and informal (covering for Marguerite's absences and giving her information on Donskoy's past). An enigmatic player, Zosia is not always forthcoming with her assistance. Ultimately, Marguerite becomes a pawn in a scheme by Zosia and Ramus (a Vistani woodsman with which Zosia shares some sort of bond) to destroy Lord Donskoy. Obeying the advice of Zosia and getting help for Ramus, Margureite at last becomes pregnant (and thus avoids Donskoy's full wrath). However, when the baby arrives, it is not a human child but rather a snake of shadow. Zosia reveals she has enacted Veleska's curse (see above). The serpent and Donskoy do battle, and he throws it from the top of a tower. However, when it hits the ground, he falls into a heap, his body bent unnaturally. Zosia then exclaims, "“The old lord is dead... And the new lord has come.”

Following Donskoy's demise, Zosia hires Arturi (To Sleep With Evil) to return Marguerite back into Darkon, whereas Zosia herself seems to remain behind in Donskoy's former land. It is unknown if she or another entity replaced Donskoy as darklord of his former domain.