Adulthood Rites

The storyline transitions to Akin’s journey alongside his captors, marked by rough treatment as he gains exposure to the world beyond his village. The men, recognizing Akin’s heightened intelligence compared to a human toddler, contemplate the potential value he holds. One of them attempts to poison Akin, but his instincts kick in and he detects the prepared food’s toxicity, prompting him to induce vomiting. Pandemonium unfolds as one of the men inadvertently falls into a fire, leading to the shelter’s collapse and strife among the captors. Seizing the opportunity amid the chaos, Akin manages to escape.

Akin is quickly located by his captors, this time by a red-haired man who is more compassionate than the others. He refrains from blaming Akin for the tumultuous events at the shelter. Recognizing the man’s kindness and the absence of ill intentions, Akin makes a calculated decision that this man, in contrast to the others, might help him.

Akin shares a bed and a modest breakfast with the red-haired man. The man on whom Akin vomited the previous night falls severely ill, and Akin observes the group’s lack of knowledge on how to alleviate his suffering. Puzzled by their failure to seek an ooloi’s assistance, Akin questions the situation. The red-haired man reveals that the ailing man is dying, which distresses Akin due to the man’s evident pain. Akin decides to engage in a full conversation with the man, articulating complete sentences for the first time—an act that surprises the red-haired man due to Akin’s age. The sick man succumbs to death, prompting the group to bury his body. Akin asks the man to conceal the fact that Akin can talk from the others.

Ahajas gives birth to Akin’s sibling, with the mating group, including Lilith, attending to her. Lilith is consumed with worry about Akin’s safety and contemplates whether the humans will kill him. The desire to search for him and prevent any potential harm weighs heavily on her thoughts.

Akin’s captors head to a German village to sell him, only to find it deserted. Akin senses Oankali presence but struggles to comprehend the connection between their visit and the absence of humans. Following the scent of ink, Akin leads the men to a book explaining that the village has aligned with the Oankali. As the men search for other clues, Akin encounters an agouti, a type of rodent. He is enchanted by it and reaches out to touch it, but Galt, the red-haired man, shoots the creature, seemingly to punish Akin. In response, Akin administers a mercy injection with his poisonous tongue. Galt tries to reveal Akin’s ability to speak, but Iriarte, one of the other men, intervenes. He takes possession of Akin and warns him not to talk, expressing a desire for Akin to remain a reminder of his own children.

The men transport Akin to another village where the inhabitants resemble Lilith and speak Swahili. The captors aim to exchange him for a woman, but the village refuses the trade. Despite this, the village women tend to Akin, providing care and sustenance. Fearing that this village might decide to keep him, Akin’s captors grow anxious and decide to move him away.

Akin’s four captors approach another village but change their course upon discovering the presence of Oankali. Akin assists the men—Galt, Kaliq, and Iriarte—in locating suitable food. Damek, the individual responsible for harming Tino, only spits at Akin’s feet.

The captors ultimately bring Akin to Phoenix, a location they have been avoiding due to its connection to Tino. They introduce Akin to a man named Gabriel Rinaldi (Gabe) and his wife, Tate, who scrutinize him closely. Akin, in turn, asks them to purchase him since he feels they are trustworthy.

During Akin’s questioning, Tino’s parents arrive, inquiring about their son. Akin is moved by their emotional state. When asked about Tino’s killer, Akin fabricates a story, blaming a man who died during the journey. Negotiations for Akin’s sale begin.

As the bargaining persists and while Akin is foraging for food in Tate’s garden, he hears gunfire. After the silence returns, he reenters the building and discovers several lifeless bodies, including Iriarte, who has been slashed with a machete—an image that deeply affects Akin. He reflects on the men he has known and loved who have met violent ends. The other captors have also suffered machete wounds, and Tino’s father, Mateo, has been shot. Tate informs Akin that Mateo sought revenge on the captors for Tino’s death.

Only Mateo and Damek, Tino’s actual killer, have survived the violent confrontation. Akin remains in Tate’s care, forming a tentative trust with her despite his lack of comprehension about her motives. Akin starts subtly persuading Tate to aid in his escape, emphasizing his desire to return home and bond with his new sibling.

Tate’s memories of the Oankali and her longing for an ooloi’s touch reveal a deeper conflict within her. Akin shares details about Lo, highlighting its uniqueness and the eventual departure of the Oankali gene. This revelation agitates Tate. Akin chooses not to disclose the additional information that, with the human-Oankali constructs, Earth will also drift through space following the departure of the Oankali ships, leaving behind an uncertain future.