Tarun Shanker > Quotes

“We do not remain the same each minute to the next. Every word you hear, every sight you see, every smell, every thought you have, every moment—it all changes you. We keep putting on mask after mask, layers over layers. That’s how one grows.”
― Tarun Shanker, These Vicious Masks

“No, the true face is wretchedly simple and empty. The absolute joy in life, in friendship, in love, is learning about a person, deciphering them, taking each and every mask off to find a new one, waiting to be explored and understood.”
― Tarun Shanker, These Vicious Masks

“Perhaps he anticipated our anticipation of his anticipation . . .”
― Tarun Shanker, These Vicious Masks

“You are right about one thing, Mr. Kent. I don’t need a hero,” I said in a firm, even voice. “But I could never love a man who would not be my ally.”
― Tarun Shanker, These Vicious Masks

“I glanced at Robert, who looked at Rose, who looked back at Robert. Well, odd one out, then. Maybe he would propose if I disappeared.

"Oh look! Upholstery," I declared, feigning fascination with a side chair in the corner of the room.”
― Tarun Shanker, These Vicious Masks

“A warm, ragged breath disturbed the hairs on my forehead, and my blood began pricking as I realized where exactly I had retreated: right into Mr. Braddock, our strange connection humming through the hairsbreadth of distance between our bodies, our faces. I froze, forcing myself to stop shoving against him further. Before I understood anything, a rough, large hand brushed my chin, my face tipped upwards, and his mouth caught mine, and suddenly my entire body was on fire. Whatever odd sensation had thrummed between us before was just the stroke of a violin bow to this clash of an orchestra. I felt the world pass between our lips, tasting champagne, hunger, and something indefinably darker, while his hand ignited sparks down my cheek to the nape of my neck. He wrapped an arm around my waist, pulling me closer, forcing that elusive essence to run deeper than my skin, deeper than my veins, until my very bones vibrated.”
― Tarun Shanker, These Vicious Masks

“Miss Wyndham feigned an illness, sneaked out of the house, and walked the London streets unaccompanied for most of the night. At the very least, I’d say she’s a better influence on Miss Kent than Lady Kent is.”
― Tarun Shanker, These Vicious Masks

“I’m sorry that I couldn’t bring my extensive mask collection to London in my trunk. I had to make do. And you said nothing about my dress.”

“That should have been self-evident. Instead of blending in, you will be the center of attention.”

“Well, it can’t be changed now. Do you want to pull out your copy of She Walks in Beauty and spend the next hour acting moody?”
― Tarun Shanker, These Vicious Masks

“Is your power still working?” I asked Mr. Kent.
“I don’t know. Do you find me handsome?” Mr. Kent returned.
“Yes,” I replied, following it with a growl.
“Everything is clearly in order here,” Mr. Kent said.”
― Tarun Shanker, These Ruthless Deeds

“You know I find surprises vulgar,” Lady Kent said, waving her hand dismissively and shifting her gaze to me. “You are acquainted with Miss Madeline Verinder, I presume?”

“Good evening, Miss Verinder,” I said, exchanging curtsies with the sweetest, gentlest, most accomplished, and most amiable girl in all of London. At least that is what I had continually repeated to myself the past season, so I wouldn’t slap her by sheer reflex whenever she entered my conversations with Mr. Kent and turned them into competitions for his attention.”
― Tarun Shanker, These Vicious Masks

“My, my, it’s a surprise to see Mr. Braddock here,” Mr. Kent said, a hint of acrimony lacing his voice. “Yes, it is.” He leaned in confidentially. “Perhaps he’s come to apologize. Or maybe that also needs to be done in his bedroom.”

I strained to keep a whisper. “You know very well why I was in his bedroom! He was injured, and I needed to check on him.”

“No one is going to make an exception for that where your reputation is concerned.”

“I had other concerns at the time.”

He put his hand on his chest. “I’m feeling quite injured myself. Perhaps we might—”

“Mr. Kent! This is not an appropriate place for that kind of talk!”

“Very well,” he said. “If you wish to speak about it somewhere much more inappropriate, just say the word.”
― Tarun Shanker, These Vicious Masks

“You've come all the way from London just for a joke, then?" I asked. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised."

"No, no, my reason is of much greater importance. The entire city is in chaos. Buildings collapsing, streets flooding, the population plague-stricken, the Thames ablaze. But it was when an orphan boy I rescued from the rubble asked me, with his dying breath, 'Why did this all have to happen, sir? Why did Miss Wyndham leave?' that I solemnly promised to bring you back and restore peace.”
― Tarun Shanker, These Vicious Masks

“All the ending does is ruin perfectly good suspense,” he said with a wink and headed for the door.”
― Tarun Shanker, These Vicious Masks

“What are you—” I paused and it hit me. “Oh heavens, what did you do?”
He shrugged innocently. “Let’s just say … that I’ve been … in a sense … blackmailing key members of London society and editors of the scandal sheets into preserving your reputation.”
I gaped at him. “And by ‘in a sense,’ I mean that’s exactly what happened.” He smiled broadly at the room.
“You—you’re serious?” I found myself half gasping the words but also not finding it terribly hard to believe. Mr. Kent never hid his worse qualities.
He wore them like badges.”
― Tarun Shanker, These Ruthless Deeds

“While overseeing tonight’s dinner party, I finally found myself in the presence of Mr. Edwards’s famed wit when he asked me whether I had visited the zoo to see the puffins. Somehow Miss Wyndham was the one forced to leave the house.”
― Tarun Shanker, These Vicious Masks

“Miss Wyndham, I know you’re not pleased with the shocking things you’ve discovered lately, and I know you’ll think even worse of me when I tell you of the things I did before we met. But everything I—”

“Sir, you are a liar and a cheat!” a customer bellowed at the shiner behind us.

Mr. Kent glanced over his shoulder and attempted to ignore the yells. “Everything I do is to—”

“These shoes are still soiled! The mud is right there! Return my money, sir!” the customer yelled again. Mr. Kent bristled and spun around to the shoe shiner.

“Sir, are you wrong in this matter?”

“N-no,” the shoe shiner stammered.

“I’m trying to be fair.” Mr. Kent turned to the customer. “Are you wrong?”

“Yes, of course I am,” he said, his face flushing.

“Then avoid stepping in the mud, shut up, and be on your way! I am trying to convince a girl to love me!”
― Tarun Shanker, These Vicious Masks

“And then I noticed the small cake that still sat uneaten next to him. And another in front of his mother. That was the last straw. I fully disliked them. How dare they leave perfectly good cake untouched?”
― Tarun Shanker, These Ruthless Deeds

“Thank you for saving my life,” Mr. Braddock said stonily, his eyes unbearably sad. “I will not forget it.”
“And I will send you daily reminders to make sure,” Mr. Kent replied.”
― Tarun Shanker, These Ruthless Deeds

“Another portal crackled open. “Good God, where are we, the sun?” Mr. Kent shouted.
“No,” our whole group answered in unison.
He shot me an apologetic look. “That one was meant to be rhetorical.”
― Tarun Shanker, These Ruthless Deeds

“And I’m truly sorry about last night with Mr. Edwards.” She sniffled. “Hang Mr. Edwards. After what he said yesterday, I’ve already added his to the lists of houses to be set ablaze.”
― Tarun Shanker, These Vicious Masks

“Well, when one door closes, another slightly more inconvenient, out-of-the-way one opens. Let’s be off, shall we?”
― Tarun Shanker, These Vicious Masks

“It’s almost indecent,” Mr. Kent said with a sigh.
“What is?”
“The way you look at each other.”
― Tarun Shanker, These Ruthless Deeds

“What I never quite understand about the Season, though, is why does anyone want to get married? It seems to me very much like a slightly more pleasant prison, except the guard never changes.”
― Tarun Shanker, These Ruthless Deeds

“All this drinking and dancing and flirting,” Mr. Kent said with a sigh, balancing a glass on the railing for me. “Dreadful business, isn’t it?”

“Yes, I don’t understand it,” I mumbled, accepting the champagne as if it could magically transport me away. No, still here. What on earth was he getting at? Was he toying with me?

“That’s just it. Perspective is a curious thing. One day, you see everything from one angle and you think you know what’s important,” he continued, looking out at the dancers. Then he turned to me, smiling wryly. “Then another day, from another angle, you see what’s really important, and everything else just . . . melts away.”

“I see,” I said without meeting his eyes, hoping he’d be dissuaded. He wasn’t. His hand slid across the railing and caught mine.

“I have never seen you here before. Are you one of Mrs. Shine’s girls?” he asked. Seen you here before? Downstairs, the tempo of the violins and cellos quickened. As my blood boiled, I could barely hear my own thoughts, and the response left my lips compulsively.

“No.”

“Excellent, then might I ask, who is your—”

“I’m sorry, I can’t help you,” I interrupted, hurrying away past the bar and the horrible paintings toward the stairs.

“Please, wait!” he called from behind, chasing after me. “What is your name?”

“Evelyn Wyndham,” I said, giving him a false name. Dammit. Champagne and Mr. Kent did not mix well.

“M-miss Wyndham!” he exclaimed. For a moment, it was rather strange to see the confident man look so confused, but he quickly regained himself with a smile. “I . . . I was just having a bit of fun. I knew it was you.”

“Oh, was that before or after you propositioned me?”

“That is a question with no right answer, but keep in mind what I was saying about perspective earlier—”
― Tarun Shanker, These Vicious Masks

“I sighed, leaning against the carriage seat. Perhaps I should take out a full-page advertisement that read: TO SEBASTIAN BRADDOCK: COME BACK, YOU BROODING FOOL.”
― Tarun Shanker, These Ruthless Deeds

“I need you to be my foil!” she wailed. “I need someone to disagree with him, so I can agree with him and support him like a good wife should! Please, Evelyn! I cannot become a ruined spinster!”
― Tarun Shanker, These Vicious Masks

“Good Lord, what’s in here? A dead body?”
“Ha! Don’t be ridiculous! What an outlandish joke to make! Ha!” Mr. Kent said before shooting me a scowl to keep quiet.”
― Tarun Shanker, These Vengeful Souls

“I’m not going to say go on without me,” Mr. Kent said as we stumbled backward. “I’d honestly prefer we all just died together.”
― Tarun Shanker & Kelly Zekas, These Vengeful Souls

“This awful power … it should have turned you bitter and angry and cruel. But despite everything it’s done to you, you’re still kind; you care about others more than yourself. You’re good, Sebastian. You do the right thing as instinctively as I say the wrong thing. You make me better—you make everyone better.”
― Tarun Shanker, These Ruthless Deeds

“What are you—” I paused and it hit me. “Oh heavens, what did you do?”
He shrugged innocently. “Let’s just say … that I’ve been … in a sense … blackmailing key members of London society and editors of the scandal sheets into preserving your reputation.”
I gaped at him.
“And by ‘in a sense,’ I mean that’s exactly what happened.” He smiled broadly at the room.
“You—you’re serious?” I found myself half gasping the words but also not finding it terribly hard to believe. Mr. Kent never hid his worse qualities.
He wore them like badges.”
― Tarun Shanker, These Ruthless Deeds