"That suggests you're not even entirely sure he's involved in whatever nefarious plot is currently under way."
His gaze dropped briefly to my arm. "The Dušan proves his involvement."
"How?"
Again he hesitated. "The priests could traverse the gates and travel either path if required. The Dušan were their protection when the final portal was opened and the dark path revealed. We thought the knowledge of their creation had died with the priests, but we discovered the hard way that that's not entirely true."
"You're big on explaining things without really explaining, aren't you?" I said, exasperation in my voice.
A smile briefly tried to escape his solemn countenance. "We discovered the existence of the Dušan when I was sent one. It attached itself to my back rather than my arm."
My eyes widened. "The tattoos on your back are a Dušan?"
"The tattoos, no. They're my tribal signature. The winged dragon is."
"I wouldn't have thought a dragon with one and a bit wings would be of any use." I crossed my arms and rubbed them lightly. The serpentine flesh felt cool under my fingertips, but I could feel the beat of life and power within it. It wasn't a comforting sensation. Far from it.
This time, the smile escaped. And it was breathtaking. "The creature is fully winged when whole. It saved me recently on the gray fields."
Surely if my father was behind the creature that had saved Azriel's life, then that meant he had to be on the side of the angels? Or, in Azriel's case, on the side of the dark angel? "Why would someone send you a Dušan? How would they even know where to send it? You're a reaper, for fuck's sake. You float around saving souls and whatnot."
"That is not all I do. I have an existence outside my Mijai duties."
And I was betting his definition of existence was far different from mine. "Which doesn't answer the question."
"No. And that is another reason we need to talk to your father."
"What if you're wrong? What if he's not involved in this whole plot?"