to see the spoilers, run your cursor over them...
continuation:
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Linden and Liand immediately think there might be some sort of unholy alliance amongst their many enemies...
The skurj has attacked the Giants because Kastenessen wished it. So that Longwrath could elude his guardians. Now the creatures held back so that the mad Swordmain could get close to Linden again. Kastenessen meant to help him carry out his geas.
Liand shook himself as though he were rousing from a trance. "Aye," he whispered. "It must be so. The skurj would not otherwise act as they have done. They are appetite incarnate. Hunger rules them, as Longwrath is also ruled."
Like Joan, Linden thought. Joan's despair was a kind of hunger. And turiya Raver tormented her, urging destruction.
Kastenessen and Longwrath, Joan and Roger and Lord Foul: they all sought the same thing.
"Apart from the claiming of your vacant son, I have merely whispered a word of counsel here and there, and awaited results."
Understanding too much, Linden knew that her need for the aid of the Swordmainnir was absolute, if only so that she might reach Andelain and Loric's krill alive.
And she could not tell them the truth. Not all of it: not the one thing which she had never revealed to anyone. If she did, they might turn their backs on her. Even Stave, Liand, and Martiir might prefer a doom of their own making. The Humbled would oppose her with all of their great strength.
"He did not know of your intent."
Linden is still determined to go to Andelain and get Loric's krill - and do something very dangerous with it. My heart says the dangerous thing will have something to do with Thomas Covenant, but I still have no clue what she has in mind - other than it being so dangerous even her most trusted friends will not like it... 
Stave points out that only Giants, with their resistance to fire can fight the skurj - unless Linden can somehow use the white gold to fight them.
Linden tells much of story of the events she has experienced in the Land this time around - but she leaves quite a bit out - such as her personal experiences with the Mahdoubt (which is a shame, as that woman's great kindness deserves to be recognized) - and the eerie similarities between Longwrath and Joan Covenant.
And the Giants recognize that she has been making evasions. They know she has not told them her true underlying purpose in traveling to Andelain and in wanting Loric's krill. And Stave points out that she burns for revenge for what has been done to her poor son. The Giants know Linden has some sort of secret plan for the krill - one that might devastate the Earth. 
They keep pushing her to reveal her plans, but she refuses them. She tells them to have faith in her or to leave.
The Giants laugh, and all of her companions join in except for Stave (who still manages to look relieved) and for Linden herself. poor Linden is incapable of laughter. 
The Giants will join Linden's party and continue to travel with her in the morning.
GIANTS!!! GIANTS!!!! GIANTS!!!!! 
Wow, there is so much packed into these latter chapters of this book! 
I feel as if I am barely touching on a lot of really important stuff...
What do you guys think about Longwrath? Might he really have the Earth-sight? Did he see Linden endangering the Earth and so seek her death? Or has someone or something given him this madness and obsession following his closed head injury? And which one of Linden's many many enemies might have done that?
And what is with this three brothers thing? the three brothers of one birth at Coercri which signaled an end to the time of the Unhomed in the Land...now a third son of a third son...
I know there are all sorts of folktales and legends about humans - where the seventh son of a seventh son has special magical powers - Orson Scott Card has an entire fantasy series written around just such a person (the Alvin Maker series).
Maybe with Giants then, it is something with three sons?
And what in the heck is Linden up to - what does she want to do with that krill? Why does she need more power than what she can have with both white gold and the Staff of Law?????
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